


Twice Blessed

by phantomreviewer, slightlytookish



Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Coming Out, Families of Choice, Fluff, Friendship, Future Fic, Happy Ending, Holidays, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Infidelity, M/M, Meet the Family, Misunderstandings, POV Multiple, Racism, Romance, Suspected Infidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-05-23 23:23:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6133657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomreviewer/pseuds/phantomreviewer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightlytookish/pseuds/slightlytookish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"My parents are really looking forward to meeting you," Kevin had said the last time they'd skyped, "My siblings too, especially Jack, but the younger ones are mostly wrapped up in their own lives, so I don't know if we'll be their main focus at the party."</i><br/><i>"That's fine. I don't know if I want to be anyone's focus at the party."</i><br/><i>"Well, you'll be</i> mine,"<i>Kevin had said, and it was sweet enough that Connor had almost forgotten to worry.’ </i></p><p>Connor is, for the first time, heading down to Utah to spend the 4th of July with Kevin and his extended family. To say that he’s nervous would be an understatement, but, really, what could go wrong?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One - Connor

Kevin had mentioned it in passing one year, in Connor’s sophomore year of college when they started talking more - that he went home for the 4th of July every year, as an old family tradition. That all generations of the Price family made the journey home to be with their loved ones; Kevin had said that being away from home on July 4th had been one of the hardest parts of his mission and Connor had only raised an eyebrow to that, before Kevin gushed on. There was always a party, and good food, and everyone chipped in. It was a time for family to be together. Connor had thought that it was sweet, and then thought that Kevin was sweet and felt his face flush. He’d been pleased in that instance that they were talking over the phone, instead of skyping, so he wouldn’t have to explain the tinge of pink to his cheeks. 

It was just good fortune as they’d been skyping more and more over the past few months. They’d fallen out of contact after Connor returned home after his mission officially ended, leaving Kevin and Arnold to hand the district over to the newest recruits. And he had expected that that would be that, the last time that he’d ever speak to Kevin Price would be at a dusty Ugandan bus stop. But then, almost out of the blue his phone had beeped out a facebook request from a ‘Kevin Price.’ Just like that, it was like nothing and everything had changed at once. He and Kevin were friends again. 

Kevin’s family visits came up again the next year, except that time the circumstances were somewhat different. 

They had only been dating for a few weeks, weekly phone calls had bled into almost daily skype conversations and then into something a little _more_. And Connor had called in the favor his boss owed him, packed up the belongings that he needed for a whole June week in Denver and after a two hour flight he had been met with an awkward, yet earnest hug at Denver International after passing by a frankly disturbing mural.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t spent time together in person before. Kevin had made the flight out to Minneapolis a couple of times to spend the weekend together when they had been on the cusp of becoming official, but that didn’t stop it from being strange and new and somewhat wonderful to have an entire week with his boyfriend. His boyfriend. Years ago, months ago even he wouldn’t have thought this was possible. And not with Kevin Price, of all the perfect people that the world had to offer. It just showed that somewhere in his wicked, miserable past he must have done something good. He was enjoying every moment, enjoying going to sleep in Kevin’s bed and waking up with him the next morning, enjoying picking through Kevin’s kitchen and complaining about his grocery habits and even enjoying those quiet moments when all they did was exist in the same space, at the same time, together.

He was not, however, enjoying Kevin’s teasing after Connor had offered to make him a cup of coffee.

Connor was attempting to work Kevin’s over-complicated coffee machine; he still didn’t drink the stuff - in spite of everything else that had happened and the other rules that he no longer followed, it still, somehow, felt wrong - but it made Kevin happy and Connor didn’t like being defeated by plastic and electronics. Didn’t like being defeated by anything.

“You know that I’m going down to my parents’ place in a few weeks. For the 4th of July party,” Kevin said, apropos of nothing. He hadn’t phrased it as a question, but Connor could hear the slight tension in his voice. After the easy conversation that had preceded it the change in Kevin’s tone was palpable. He turned away from the coffee machine.

“Yes.”

Connor was nervous about the idea of meeting Kevin’s family, and he knew that deep down Kevin was too. Connor always ducked away into Kevin’s small kitchen while he was on the phone with the Prices, while he was skyping and being introduced to new baby cousins. His mom and dad had been surprisingly good with everything that had happened: Uganda, Arnold, Kevin’s uncertainty with his faith, his sexuality, and even with Connor. At least, the hypothetical existence of Connor. He’d not met Kevin’s family, although he had seen the occasional photograph - he could probably recognize Mr. and Mrs. Price from the grainy photo that Kevin had brought with him on his mission. He didn’t know the Price siblings - “when you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” Kevin had said, and smiled as though at his own joke, “Sarah’s the odd one out, big bushy blonde hair and everything.” 

He didn’t know if the Prices knew what he looked like. He didn’t update his facebook page regularly; the occasional advertisement of the drama club’s latest play, checking deadlines with his classmates, an awkward photo that he’d been tagged in and then, the one, brave moment when he had changed his relationship status. He hadn’t said as much, but he was relieved that Kevin still hadn’t asked him to meet his family; he was not quite willing to put a face to the name of the man that, he was sure, Kevin’s parents blamed in some way. How could they not? He’d been district leader when everything had collapsed, he’d been there when Kevin’s sexuality became a matter of discussion. He felt culpable. It was difficult to imagine that they didn’t feel the same, no matter how tolerant Kevin made them sound. 

“It’s not that I don’t want you there,” Kevin started, as though he had something to apologize for. He didn’t.

“I understand. Really, I do. Go see your family, I can’t afford to take any more time off work anyway. Maybe next year?” Connor wasn’t sure if he was telling the entire truth. It was far easier to be just them, rather than inviting anyone else into the world. Easier still to cling to other commitments as a convenient excuse. But even as he thought that, Connor knew it wasn’t fair.

They enjoyed the rest of their week together, and Kevin drove him to the airport, kissed him goodbye and Connor didn’t once look over his shoulder to see who was watching. And three weeks later Kevin skyped Connor, tired, affectionate greetings sending his family’s love after a long night’s traveling and a long day spent catching up with loved ones. And for a moment Connor wanted to be there, but it had been the right decision to make while things were still so new between them. It would have been too much.

This time though, a year later and with Connor’s belongings packed into storage for transportation into Kevin’s little Denver apartment that would soon become home rather than a place to visit and feel heartsick when leaving, it was different.

Everything was different now: a new city, graduating from college and, hopefully, a new family. He already had Kevin, and Kevin’s family was everything to him. Therefore Connor had to take action, he’d already cleared out his schedule.

“Look, all my siblings bring their friends and partners, it’s a full house,” Kevin repeated, even as he picked up his backpack and swung it over his shoulder. “Even Arnold and Nabulungi are coming this year. It’ll be a good low stress way of introducing you to my parents and siblings. It will be fine. I’ll see you in a few days.”

Kevin had to head down to Utah a few days early. Chores, and party preparations, because he wanted things to be perfect when Connor arrived, or so he’d explained. Connor was struck with the mental image of Kevin mowing the lawn shirtless and mourned the lack of a garden of their own, but he couldn’t help but worry that Kevin needed to prepare his family for his arrival in advance. He pictured Kevin talking him up, asking his parents to give Connor a chance, only to be met with silence and non-committal shrugs. The thought hurt, so he tried to push it away. 

So Kevin would leave today and Connor would follow later, after settling further into the apartment. And the strange thrill of being entrusted with Kevin’s apartment alone - despite the fact that his name was being added to the lease in September - almost made up for the slightly empty feeling inside.

Kevin could evidently see some of his feelings in his face, as he leant close and kissed him. Light and tender and incomparably perfect.

“I’ll see you in a few days, don’t worry so much. They’ll all love you, honest. I mean, I do, and I have impeccable taste,” and with another peck on the cheek Kevin turned away. 

He looked so smug that Connor almost expected Kevin to start whistling as he closed the door behind him. Kevin knew exactly what to say to help him settle, including, wait, had Kevin just said that he loved him?

“Oh.”


	2. Chapter Two - Connor

Deep down, Connor really did want to be introduced to Kevin's family. He wanted to get to know these people who meant so much to Kevin, even if it meant having to deal with the inevitable awkward conversations and prying questions and whatever else they threw at him. He'd never done the meet-the-parents thing before, after all, and he didn't really know what to expect. And that was the problem, wasn't it? Because as much as he wanted to, the thought of meeting Kevin's family was absolutely terrifying and if Connor hadn’t already been on a train more than halfway to Salt Lake City he might have turned around and gone back home.

Except home was with Kevin now, and even if it wasn’t Connor wouldn't have done that to him. To them, really. But it was difficult for Connor not to worry, even though Kevin had been nothing but reassuring whenever he’d called or skyped these past few days.

"My parents are really looking forward to meeting you," Kevin had said the last time they'd skyped, the night before while Connor took a break from packing. He already looked tanner than he'd been when he'd left Denver, and Connor made a mental note to pack sunscreen. It was almost as if his skin had forgotten all about Uganda; after returning home it had gone back to its normal pasty state almost overnight. It was one of the few things that hadn’t changed. "My siblings too, especially Jack, but the younger ones are mostly wrapped up in their own lives, so I don't know if we'll be their main focus at the party."

Kevin kept rubbing his eyes the way he always did when he was tired, but he was smiling and Connor couldn't help smiling back even though his stomach kept insisting on tying itself in knots whenever he remembered that he wasn't just going to visit Kevin, but his whole family, too. "That's fine. I don't know if I want to be anyone's focus at the party."

"Well, you'll be  _ mine _ ," Kevin had said, and it was sweet enough that Connor had almost forgotten to worry.

Almost, at least until they'd hung up and Connor was left alone with his thoughts and a half-packed bag in the empty apartment. Kevin hadn't said that he loved him since that first time, and even then he hadn't really said it. He'd almost been out the door, trying to calm Connor down, and it had just been a turn of phrase. A slip of the tongue, really. Right? Connor couldn't bring himself to ask Kevin about it, so he wasn't sure, but it made sense. And it wasn't like Connor didn't have enough to worry about already.

He leaned his forehead against the window, watching the landscape flying past, and determinedly forced himself not to sigh. Sighing only would have made him feel even more ridiculous than he already did. Kevin had said that everything would be fine, and it would. Connor knew what Kevin looked and acted like when he was freaking out, and Kevin had been nothing but calm every time the topic of Connor meeting his family had come up. That should have made Connor feel better but instead it made him feel the opposite, almost as if his mind had decided that if Kevin wasn't going to worry about it then  _ someone _ had to. Right now his thoughts kept returning to everything that could possibly go wrong, flitting between "what if they don't like me?" to "what if they hate me so much that Kevin breaks up with me to settle down with a nice Mormon girl?" It didn't exactly make for a pleasant journey.

Maybe he should have insisted on going with Kevin the other day. If he had, the first meeting would've already happened by now and Connor would know where he stood with the Price family. Although, going early would have forced him to face one of his biggest worries even sooner, namely, the sleeping arrangements. It might be childish of him, but Connor didn't want to sleep alone at the Prices'. He was dreading it more than he'd dreaded anything in a long time, and it wasn't just because he never had hell dreams or even regular nightmares when Kevin was beside him (and after having them for so long, Connor knew the value of that better than anyone), but also because he couldn't help anticipating the arguments about sharing a room that were sure to happen.

His own parents, he knew, would never stand for it, if Connor had been the one bringing Kevin home to meet them. Then again, his parents barely tolerated him these days, and – no, that wasn't entirely fair. They got along, he and his parents and his siblings, in a cool, strained sort of way that had started before Uganda and only got worse after he returned home as the district leader of a failed mission who wasn't turning it off anymore. He still went home for Christmas, and his parents had come to his graduation, but all through college he'd stayed in Minneapolis year-round and though none of them ever discussed it, minimal contact seemed to work best for everyone. Someday, hopefully, that would improve, but for now he was taking things one day at a time. And today he was going to meet Kevin’s family and he had to turn his attention to that.

So Connor didn't exactly expect the Prices to welcome him with open arms, when his own family didn't. He certainly didn't expect them to let him room with Kevin while he was visiting; they were devout Mormons, after all. If Kevin were bringing home a girlfriend, they wouldn't allow her to share his room, so why should it be different for him and Connor, even though neither of them belonged to the church anymore and his parents had to know that they were moving in together. At least they were letting him stay over at all, Connor thought, though Kevin had assured him early on that if they didn't, then they just wouldn't visit at all. He wondered if Kevin had offered them the same ultimatum, and how much Connor was going to feel judged by them. That was a recipe for a hell dream if he'd ever heard one, and wouldn't it be embarrassing to have his first one in ages in a strange house? What a way to introduce himself to Kevin’s family. It was the lack of control, more than anything, that bothered him. Connor was used to being the captain of his own ship, the leader of his own district if you will; whatever successes or failures could normally be put firmly in his hands, and his behavior, and that was how he liked it. Connor wasn’t in control of any element of how this meeting would go, other than himself, and at the moment that didn’t seem like enough.

This time he did sigh - he couldn’t help it - and closed his eyes for the rest of the journey.

* * *

He could have tried to figure out the bus schedule but Connor was tired and far too nervous, so Uber it was. Besides, maybe making small talk with the driver would be good practice for later. To hear Kevin tell it, the extended Price family was enormous and every last one of them and a bunch of family friends for good measure were expected to come to this party, so Connor was anticipating a lot of small talk over the next few days.

The Price home was pretty much what he expected – fairly large and comfortable looking, painted in neutral colors with a well-kept lawn out front. Not too different from Connor's own childhood home, aside from the front door where a huge banner of Mickey Mouse dressed as Uncle Sam was hanging. He wondered if that was Kevin's doing or if everyone in his family was just as Disney-obsessed as he was; he'd never thought to ask. At least Connor knew that he had the right house.

As he walked up the path he could hear people around the back of the house – voices, laughter, music playing faintly. The party wasn't until tomorrow but it was almost time for dinner, and Kevin had said that his family ate outside almost every night in the summer. He'd already texted Kevin from the train station, so he knew that he was expected, but it seemed a bit rude and presumptuous to just go around to the back of the house. But if they were all outside already, would they hear if Connor rang the bell?

He was saved from having to figure that out when the front door opened and there was a woman who could only be Mrs. Price, looking just as she did in the only photo Kevin had brought on his mission, and just like Kevin himself, really: the same brown hair cut into a short stylish bob, the same deep-set eyes - perhaps a shade lighter than Kevin’s - looking almost grey in the fading light, and exactly the same wide smile. It was uncanny, but to Connor's surprise it made him feel a little calmer to see an almost familiar face. Sort of.

"I thought I heard a car door," she said. "You must be Connor. I’m Kevin’s mom."

"Hi, Mrs. Price," he said, and there was an awkward moment when it seemed that neither one of them could decide if they should shake hands or hug, and so they did both.

"It's so good to finally meet you," she said, pulling away. "Kevin's told us so much about you, I feel as though I know you already."

Connor felt his face growing warm. "You too. I mean, I know how important all of you are to Kevin."

"And so are you," Mrs. Price said, smiling gently, and Connor didn't know how to respond to that. Kevin had said his parents were fine with their relationship, that his whole family was supportive of them and looking forward to meeting Connor, but he hadn't really expected to see it for himself. But if the rest of the Prices were anything like Kevin's mother, maybe it would be all right. For the first time since they began making plans for this visit, Connor actually felt hopeful enough to let his guard down, just a bit, and think that everything was going to be just fine, like Kevin had promised. That this wasn’t a test that had been fixed to ensure that he’d fail. He always did get too wound up inside his own head.

"Well, come in," she said, taking him by the arm and ushering him inside. "Just put your bag in the coat closet for now, I'll have Kevin bring it upstairs after dinner. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you," Connor said, following her further into the house. There was a long row of framed photographs hanging in the hallway, old school pictures by the look of them - even without stopping Connor could pick out a lot of photos of Kevin, through the years - but he supposed it made sense, Kevin had been a self-proclaimed wonder-child, of course his family would have wanted photos of him. He didn’t get the chance to stop and look at them properly, not while Mrs. Price hurried him along with amicable chatter. He'd have to ask Kevin to go through them with him later.

"The kids are out back, not that they want to be called kids anymore, with some of them old enough to start giving me grandchildren," Mrs. Price said, giving him a wry look as she led him into the kitchen. "Just go through that door and around the corner, you can't miss them. Tell the others I'm just getting the salad and I'll be right there."

"Do you need help with anything?" Connor said, glancing around the kitchen, though there didn't seem to be anything for him to do, no dishes to carry outside or food left out to prepare.

"No, everything's ready, we were just waiting for you. But thank you. Now go on, Kevin will be so happy to see you, he's talked of nothing else these past few days."

Connor flushed again and resisted the urge to ask her just what Kevin had told them. "Thank you," he said, and headed outside. The door let him out at the side of the house, but the path leading to the backyard was paved and easy enough to follow. The voices grew louder as he turned the corner, and he saw people milling around a large picnic table, and -

Her lipstick was immaculate, that was the first thing that Connor noticed. Of all the things to notice about the woman currently kissing his boyfriend. But it was. A deep streak of red, complimenting her russet skin perfectly. She was beautiful, and her lipstick wasn’t even smudging against his boyfriend’s lips, even as Kevin sunk his hands into her long dark hair. He was kissing her back. The tension was sapping away from his shoulders, and he was kissing her back. He was enjoying himself. Connor knew how Kevin kissed. Even in profile, with his head turned toward his... female companion Connor could see the cues that showed that Kevin was happy, and satisfied and,  _ willing _ . He was kissing her back, in broad daylight for anyone to see. She didn’t even have to go on her toes to kiss him - like Connor did when things were getting passionate. No, she was the perfect height with her perfectly dangerous-looking heels.

She was the perfect height, with the perfect looks and the perfect gender for Kevin. They complimented each other. Perfect. (Connor wasn’t perfect.)

Kevin was kissing a woman. And he didn’t know that Connor could see.

Connor knew, knew that she - whoever this woman was who had stolen Kevin away - was a better match. Did it count as stealing if Kevin had gone willingly? Kevin hadn’t even looked towards him, hadn’t sensed his presence or wondered where his boyfriend was. He’d texted Kevin when he’d got the cab from the train station, exhausted and nervous as he was. Kevin knew what time his boyfriend was supposed to be arriving at his house, to meet his parents. Were they even that anymore? It seemed ridiculous to think that this man had kissed him goodbye at the door of the apartment that was soon to be theirs and now, this. It was like a bad dream.

It was like a hell dream. He hadn’t had one in so long, perhaps he was overdue. Maybe he’d never woken up from his nap on the train. But, no. Everything else around them was normal, it was only Connor who was out of place here. He didn’t belong.

He wondered how long it had been going on for, or whether this was a spontaneous connection. Whether Kevin had been cheating on him - it would have been easy enough, they were often cities away, and days could go by with only a text or a few snatched minutes of conversation - but no, why would Kevin bring the woman he was having an affair with to a family gathering? It didn’t make sense. No, it was far more likely that they had just met here, and the connection between them had been magnetic and undeniable. It had taken years of friendship, growing confidence and dedication for Connor and him to become something, why wouldn’t Kevin grab at perfection with both hands when it was offered to him. It was, after all, everything Kevin had always wanted.

Kevin was all Connor had ever wanted.

He felt stupid, standing half-hidden behind a potted plant; he felt sick, and any moment now someone was going to notice him - Mrs. Price, probably, following Connor to make sure that he was okay, that he wasn’t lost - and Kevin and this beautiful, perfect woman who was nothing like him, would jump apart and Kevin would see him and then it would all be over. This shattered fragile thing that was so dear to him. Unless that had been the plan all along, to show Connor once and for all that Kevin wasn’t for the likes of him, concocted by Kevin’s family in order to keep him away. Then Kevin would be free and he and this woman could have a Temple wedding. Connor had never even let himself dream of a wedding, but the thought popped unbidden into his head. He still couldn’t bring himself to move.

He hadn’t thought that Kevin would break his heart. He didn’t think that Kevin could. But oh, Kevin had.

There were noises behind him, a muted conversation followed by an insistent patter of footsteps from indoors but Connor couldn’t look away from Kevin, Kevin kissing. The only word he was thinking was ripped out of his throat without permission from his brain.

“...Kevin.”


	3. Chapter Three - Connor

The footsteps came to a sudden stop beside him and someone slung an arm around his shoulders. Under normal circumstances Connor would have shrugged them off, or at least looked to see who it was, but now the intrusion hardly registered. He knew he should do something – go over and demand an explanation, or leave, or do anything instead of just stand there – but he couldn't drag his gaze away from Kevin still locked in a lover’s embrace with this woman, let alone drag his feet in any direction.

Almost as if it were coming from far away, he realized that the person beside him was speaking.

“Jack,” said Kevin, “there’s someone I'd like you to meet.”

Connor started, finally ducking out from under the arm around his shoulders, looking away from Kevin - who had split from the woman, finally, looking decidedly sheepish - and towards... Kevin.

“Kevin?” He squeaked.

Kevin, the real Kevin, smiled and nuzzled his hairline affectionately. Connor stared. Too confused to reciprocate, or even smile in the direction of his clearly delighted boyfriend.

“Connor, this is Jack of course, and that’s Francine, Jack’s much, much better half. Jack, Francine, this is my Connor.”

"Twins?" Connor said faintly. He could feel the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening. Politeness was his usual default, and he was dimly aware that he was being incredibly rude but he couldn't take his eyes off of – Jack. That was Jack, who looked exactly like Kevin – the same eyes, the same profile, the same hands. They even parted their hair on the same side. " _Identical twins_?"

He finally turned to Kevin, who looked surprised at Connor's surprise. "Yes?"

"You never told him?" Jack said and, yup, they even had the same voice.

"I thought he already knew!" Kevin snapped before turning back to Connor. He looked unaccountably hurt for someone who had just sprung an identical twin brother on his boyfriend. "You've seen that picture I have hanging in the living room, the one of all of us at Disney World. Jack's in it."

Connor remembered the picture, had looked at it hundreds of times, probably: the whole Price family wearing matching smiles and standing in front of the castle. He remembered Kevin pointing out each of his siblings, too, that first time he'd visited him. "When you’ve seen one Price, you’ve seen them all," Kevin had said, and Connor supposed he was right. He could pick out 9-year-old Kevin standing beside his father, and Sarah of course, and little Ethan in his mother's arms, but none of the other brothers crouched in front. Perhaps he’d never really paid enough attention to them. He'd certainly never realized that one of them was Kevin's twin. 

"I think I need to sit down," he said at last, just as Mrs. Price finally emerged from the house with the salad.

"Dinner?" she said, beaming at them.

* * *

Connor suspected that the Prices were all extremely amused that he'd had no idea that Kevin had an identical twin, let alone that he’d be at this party, but they were much too polite to show it. Well, Kevin’s youngest brother, Ethan (he knew all the names of course but in the flurry of introductions around the table he hadn’t quite managed to put all the names to the correct faces the first time around - still, he’d managed to learn the names of all his district missionaries in advance of meeting them, he was sure he could crack the Price family even if all he had to go on was a fifteen year old photo) had an inkling of a grin as they said grace, but maybe he was just being friendly. He supposed he should be grateful, Connor thought; he'd expected something akin to an interrogation over dinner, but instead of having to answer questions about his family or his future plans, he was treated to some Price family history.

"The confusion is understandable," Mr. Price said, clapping Connor on the shoulder as he sat down beside him. "We've wondered ourselves if Kevin and Jack switched places before their missions, haven't we?"

All around the table the Prices – except for Michael, away on his mission ("In Orlando," Kevin said, only sounding a little wistful) – nodded knowingly. On Connor's other side, Kevin scowled. Connor couldn't see Jack's reaction, sitting on the other side of Mr. Price, and for that he was thankful. He couldn't quite bring himself to look at him for too long.

Bit by bit, the story came out. Connor already knew Kevin's side of it – he'd lived most of it with him, after all – but Jack's had taken the opposite trajectory. Before his mission Jack had struggled with his faith, but after two very successful years in Colombia – the number of baptisms made Connor's head spin and he couldn't help feeling just a tiny bit envious of their district leader, whoever he was – Jack had returned a devout and devoted member of the church. He was, basically, Kevin when he first arrived in Uganda. Although, apparently without the overconfidence which Kevin had projected around him on that first fateful day. No wonder the Prices liked to joke about them switching places.

The tone of the evening was gentle and light, the threads of conversation flitting between members of the Price family, and Connor let himself sink into it. There was no immediate grilling, no accusations or stern looks and although the tension that Connor was holding in hadn’t quite been loosened, it was easing. It eased more when Kevin put his hand on his knee; an inconspicuous touch, innocent, a gentle squeeze even as Kevin was in mid-conversation with his sister, debating whether chocolate or caramel sauce was better on ice cream (chocolate was the clear winner, once Lucas and Ethan got involved, and Kevin only gloated a little). Kevin was unafraid of this casual intimacy in front of his family. Connor knew how important this moment was to him, had been aware of his eager excitement for this week - as much about being with family as it had been about Connor meeting them - and a little of that excitement was starting to rub off on him through the electric connection of an innocent touch, laden with meaning.

Kevin’s hand stayed resting on his leg as Connor turned his attention back to his plate. Mrs. Price had piled it high with chicken salad but he still found himself famished; he’d been too nervous to eat on the train, too nervous to eat anything since breakfast. He was grateful that the Prices were holding their questions and even more grateful that Jack remained relatively silent through most of the meal. It was strange, the whole evening was strange, but Connor was trying to go with it.

He had seconds of the blueberry pie. He deserved it after the shock he’d had, or so he justified it to himself, but none of the Prices raised an eyebrow and Mrs. Price beamed at him when he’d asked for more.

It was peaceful, that was the overriding atmosphere, even when Kevin - withdrawing his hand with a pat - and Ethan got up and started bundling up napkins and collecting plates as if on cue. Connor hesitated for a moment, fork still midair but Mrs. Price smiled at him across the table and gestured for him to continue.

“Sorry Connor dear, it’s going to be an early start tomorrow and we have our 4th of July routine quite firmly set by now, but please don’t feel that we’re rushing you. Feel free to finish your plate,” she said, before turning her head towards the remaining Price siblings. Connor had the suspicion that he’d be finding Price siblings in all manner of places this week, wherever he looked there was another one. “Lucas, go and help your brothers and Sarah, put your phone _away_ , we have guests.”

Connor finished his plate, announcing his thanks to the cook to the table - assuming, but not willing to commit to offering the praise solely in Mrs. Price’s direction. He was just about to stand up, taking his leftover crockery from the now bare table, when someone dropped into Kevin’s vacated chair.

It was the woman - Francine - and even though Connor _knew_ , he knew that he had been in the wrong and she was innocent of what he had thought he’d seen, he still couldn’t help being wary of her sudden presence here. And then she smiled. 

“Sorry,” she said. She’d wiped her lipstick off during the course of the meal - and the kissing, his mind supplied - and without it she looked less dangerous and more sweet. Up close she had what his mother would have called ‘kind eyes.’ “We weren’t introduced properly earlier. I’m Francine, Francine Rees.”

He nodded. While instinct hard earned in training to be a district leader called for him to shake her hand, the handful of utensils he was clutching prevented that. She didn’t seem to take offense.

“I guess you’re sort of my brother-in-law, I mean, it isn’t official yet,” at this she indicated her ring finger, bare as Connor supposed he was meant to infer, and hoped that he schooled his expression into the appropriate one, “But once you’re family with the Prices then, well, you’re in it for life. As I’m sure you’ve realized by now.” 

Huh. Hearing it from Kevin was one thing entirely. Hearing it from Kevin’s mom was another. But this, this was comradeship from an altogether unexpected source.

“Something like that,” he mumbled. He was starting to feel a little overwhelmed again, but in a good way. The knot in his chest tightened and loosened in something like anticipation. 

“Anyway,” she continued as though she hadn’t added another weight onto the balancing act that was Connor’s brain at the moment. “I just wanted to introduce myself since I’m going home soon, but I'll see you at the party tomorrow. Here, give me your plate and go find Kevin, okay? He's playing it cool now but he was a nervous wreck all day, waiting for you to get here. There he is now," she said, nodding towards the figure that had just emerged from around the side of the house.

Even from a distance Connor could see that Kevin seemed tense, all hunched shoulders and toes scuffing at the dirt, and he looked towards them once before quickly glancing away. Francine laughed.

"I've known Kevin a long time and I've never seen him this rattled. Go on, go."

He went.

Francine had been right, Kevin was standing with his back to his family, hands pressed against a trellis. In the low light Connor couldn’t tell what colors the blooms were, but he supposed that he’d get the chance to see them tomorrow.

“Kevin?” 

He turned, and it occurred to Connor that this was the first time that they had been alone together in days.

"I'm sorry things were weird earlier," Kevin said. "With Jack and everything. I really always thought you knew."

"It's going to take some getting used to," Connor admitted. "But the initial shock is wearing off, I think." _I hope_ , he added to himself.

Kevin didn't seem convinced. "I just," he dragged a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. "I wanted everything to be perfect for you, that was the whole point of me coming here early, to get everything ready, and now it's all ruined."

"Hey." Connor took Kevin's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Don't be silly, nothing's ruined. Your family's nice and not as scary as I'd imagined. Now they're just scary in a different way."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's two of you," Connor said. He was only half-joking but it seemed to be the right thing to say, because Kevin finally smiled.

"But you like them, right?" he said, managing to sound eager and hopeful and unsure, all at once. Connor was struck by how important this meeting was for Kevin, and how nervous he'd probably been, even if he'd managed to hide it.

"Of course I do," Connor said, because how could he not? They'd been nothing but kind to him.

He could see the moment that Kevin relaxed, his shoulders dropping as the tension flowed out of them, and he leaned in to kiss him, only to hesitate. They'd wandered away from the others, and it was finally getting dark out, and Connor had thought that he was over worrying about what other people thought of him but it was different here, with Kevin's family, and he couldn't help glancing over his shoulder at them. They seemed to be paying Kevin and Connor no mind, or at least, they were doing a good job of pretending, but Connor still said, "Is it okay if…?"

Kevin didn't answer so much as kiss him which, Connor thought, was an answer in itself.

Some time later there was a cough in the distance, as though coming through glass, and without any sense of unease or urgency they broke apart. Kevin’s hands had landed heavy on his shoulders, and his own hands were wrapped neatly around Kevin’s waist. It had always been a very comfortable way to stand. 

Only Kevin’s parents were left sitting out in the last remnants of evening, a jug of water on the table, four glasses, a newspaper and a book. It seemed like an idyllic life. It was one that Connor had never imagined himself wanting, but could easily see himself living. The revelation was a warm one in the evening air. The sky was fading red, and it instantly took Connor back momentarily to Kitguli. It was unlikely to rain tomorrow. Good news for the Prices. And for him.

Kevin poured him a glass of water and even now, so long after, the little things reminded him how lucky he was. To have water, to have Kevin.

It was a surprisingly adult conversation for Connor, who was used to students or irate and bored customers. Now Kevin’s parents asked about their mission, and Connor attempted to keep things as generic as possible. He should have asked Kevin exactly how much his parents knew about what had transpired there. He knew that they knew the broad strokes, they knew that Kevin had doubts and these had been solidified by his mission, but somehow, somehow he suspected that Kevin hadn’t gone into details about _The Book of Arnold_ or the pageant. Sometimes when Connor was at work his face would blanch for seemingly no reason and his supervisor would look askance at him, making sure he’s not unwell, while Connor was just remembering exactly what was said to, and thrust in, the Mission President’s face.

He was midway through telling the Prices about Elder Thomas - a safer discussion topic, surely - when he cut himself off with a yawn. His apology for his rudeness was cut off with another yawn and Kevin, the traitor, chuckled under his breath.

Mrs. Price - “no dear, call me Suzanne” - waved aside his apology, making a show of checking her watch as though to exonerate his behavior. 

“Oh, you must be exhausted, don’t let us keep you up. Kevin’ll show you to your room when you’re ready.” 

Both he and Kevin rose, the suggestion taken as a prompt, and Connor couldn’t contain another yawn. He was just about to turn and follow Kevin’s lead, not wanting to be lost in the maze of a house, when Suzanne took a deep breath.

“I know it’s not strictly within the rules, but you boys aren’t as devout as you used to be and that’s fine. It must be a bit strange for you, Kevin says that you’re not too close to your own family, but don’t you worry about that here. We’ve got things all set up for you so you can fit right in with us. It’ll be a bit of a squeeze, I’m afraid, especially tomorrow night, but we’ve set up an airbed for you in the boys’ old room. But go, boys, you must be exhausted from your long journey. And Kevin,” she added, a touch louder in order to carry to where Kevin stood at the doorway, “leave the hall light on for Jack, he’s just dropping off Francine.”

Kevin nodded, and Connor could see now firsthand just how easily Kevin fit into his family. They were a well-oiled machine, the Prices.

Connor had just taken his first step back towards the house when Mr. Price - “Matthew, I insist” - stood too and, and, after a moment, stuck out his hand. 

“It’s good to finally meet you, son,” he said, gruffly but not unkindly. And Connor wondered whether there was ever anything more to Kevin’s parents’ acceptance than he’d been told. He hoped the crack in his voice wasn’t as evident as it was to his own ears when he returned the sentiment.

It was too dark and he was too tired to fully appreciate being in Kevin’s childhood bedroom, but after Kevin dropped his bag on the airbed that would be Connor’s for the duration of his stay and closed the door Connor could still pick out the retro Donald Duck poster - probably Kevin’s, but he couldn’t be sure - and the bunk beds. “I was the top bunk,” said Kevin, pointing to the immaculately kept bedding, and that, really, was no surprise to Connor at all.

He expected that to be that, for Kevin to clamber up, and for himself to curl up on the airbed. It looked sturdier than most, and had been decked out with enough cushions to sustain a small army. But that wasn’t how Kevin proceeded. He toed off his shoes and dropped down, arching his back and settling like a cat.

“You’re not tired, Con?” he said, looking up from the airbed and the musty covers that must have been Sarah’s - either that or Kevin told his family that Connor liked pink - and suddenly the implication set in.

“We’re sharing a _bed_?” It came out much more high-pitched than he expected it would and Connor felt foolish for it. 

“Of course we are, I mean, it’ll be a bit tight-” 

“I mean, your parents don’t mind?” 

“Connor,” Kevin sounded undeniably fond, and it was a far cry from his momentary anxiety out in the privacy of the garden; if it weren’t solely at Connor’s expense he’d be grateful. “Jack’s going to be sleeping in here as well, and tomorrow at least two cousins and possibly Uncle Joe will be joining us - they know that we’re not going to be up to anything.”

Only one part of that sentence stuck in Connor’s brain. And it was the traitorous part, which saw Jack and thought _Kevin_.

“Jack’s going to be sleeping in here?”

“Well, yes.” Kevin looked nonplussed, working his trousers off, balling them up with his shirt and tossing them with perfect aim into the laundry basket. He didn’t miss his target. “It _is_ his room, too.” 

“Oh, yeah. Of course.”

And so, after plugging in his phone to charge and pulling on his old grumpy cat shirt - bought as a joke because it reminded him of Kevin in the mornings, only the joke kind of stuck - Connor settled down to spend the first night in his boyfriend’s childhood bedroom. It wasn’t a fantasy that he ever thought he’d have the opportunity to come true.

Sleep never came easy to Connor, he wasn’t like Kevin who could fall asleep approximately ten seconds after his head touched the pillow; no, Connor had always needed to toss and turn to get comfortable, and he was still awake when Jack crept into the room and nodded and smiled at him in greeting. Connor suspected that no amount of tossing and turning would make him comfortable in this situation.

Because, of course, here that brought about more problems than solutions. If he turned one way, there was Kevin curled up beside him on the airbed, and if he turned the other way, there was Jack in the bottom bunk. Spending a night sharing a room with his affectionate boyfriend who he hadn’t seen for four days, and said boyfriend's identical twin brother was not something Connor had ever imagined.

His boyfriend’s identical twin brother who had shown a remarkable acceptance to Connor's sexuality - with none of the normal reserves that straight men usually had in front of him even in Minneapolis, which had been such a welcoming place - and who had taken his shirt off to sleep, claiming that he'd forgotten how awful it was to share a room with his brother, that Kevin was like a space heater and made the room too warm. Connor was certainly feeling too warm now. 

He could hear a watch ticking somewhere in the room, feel Kevin's breath against the side of his neck and faint snores from the other bed, from Jack - he didn't dare look over again in case he saw Kevin. Even when he closed his eyes he saw Kevin’s. _Turn it off Connor McKinley_ , he thought frantically, _turn it off!_


	4. Chapter Four - Kevin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author’s Note**   
>  This fic came about from us talking and trying to solve the Jack dilemma (if Kevin is five when he gets Jack grounded for fourteen days then does it make more sense for Jack to be older or younger, and why would Kevin be believed over Jack anyway?). Thus, this fic was born out of the ashes of that conversation. And what could have been summarised in six words has become over 10k (and counting!): “Jack And Kevin Are Identical Twins.” For obvious reasons of the grand reveal we couldn’t have a A/N any earlier.  
> We try and post a chapter every 10-14 days, and always try and have a chapter in reserve - but because of timezones and the Atlantic Ocean sometimes keeping us from being around at the same time to work, we’re not setting a chapter schedule in stone.

Kevin woke up warm and content, for a moment everything was as it should be. The smell of cooking was wafting through the house, and he had one arm wrapped around Connor’s waist, fingers in the soft of his stomach where that ridiculous shirt - that didn’t look  _ a thing _ like him - had ridden up in the night. He had one moment of pure comfort before the muscle strain of two grown men spending a night squeezed onto an airbed designed for one spasmed in his back.

He stretched, and his jaw gave a clunk as he yawned, ready to face the day.

Connor was still sleeping, having turned into the space that Kevin had left on the airbed, whether chasing the warmth or closeness, Kevin didn’t know.

Technically he could have slept in his own bed, undersized as it was - neither he nor Jack could fit in their childhood beds without curling up, but their parents were economical, and neither of them visited regularly enough to need new bedding; Jack was away at school most of the year and Kevin, well, he had his apartment and soon he’d have Connor there too. That was worth any discomfort.

The top bunk above Jack’s neatly made bed was empty, Brayden and Brigham would be sharing it after the party and Uncle Joe would most likely be in with Jack. Kevin thought that he had the better option of spooning up with his boyfriend in terms of people he would rather sleep with, even on an undersized and under-inflated air mattress. But he had wanted to sleep with Connor, had wanted to reassure him during what he knew would be a stressful time, but most of all, he had just wanted to. And that had been reason enough.

Jack’s empty bed should have been a surprise, but wasn’t. Jack had been the late sleeper when they were younger, and it had been Kevin who was up before the sky was light in order to study, to pray, to go the extra mile, to make sure that he’d gotten it  _ right _ . It seemed like a role reversal for it to be Jack who was up and ready while Kevin still slept. A lot had changed. And Kevin couldn’t help but feel that he had the right of it right now.

It took Connor even longer to wake up than it had Kevin, and by the time that the two of them had showered - separately, there was a limit to how far Kevin was willing to push his family’s acceptance - and made their way downstairs he could hear the idle chatter of conversation start to die down. Living wasn’t rushed here, he’d never noticed that before. It was another thing he was grateful for.

“You’re late, boys,” was all his dad said, from the head of the table. He gestured at the two empty chairs with the corner of his newspaper before returning to the  _ Deseret News _ with a huff.

Connor seemed almost shocked to have a plate of cinnamon waffles waved under his nose, and Kevin supposed that his family took a little bit of getting used to. After all, not everyone had grown up with the Prices.

They were all there, all gathered around the table, other than Michael - and Kevin felt a small stab of guilt for having missed grace, despite not saying it while he was eating at his own home back in Denver. It was strange how family traditions took precedence. Michael, according to his latest letter, was loving Orlando. And that should have hurt but, strangely, it didn’t. At least not the deep, aching hurt that would have accompanied how unfair the world seemed five years ago. No matter what Michael’s mission entailed it could never be like Uganda. Kevin only hoped that it was as rewarding for Michael as his own mission had been for him. He couldn’t help looking over at Connor at the thought of what his mission had brought him, Connor who was irritating the table cloth, looking bleary-eyed but only a little nervous. Food had done him good.

Kevin’s eyes flicked over his mom’s shoulder to the pasta, rice and grains cupboard. Hidden away in there was a small jar of instant coffee, artfully tucked away behind the lasagne sheets. Kevin didn’t know who had put it there, but Ethan had pointed it out to him the last time he’d come home. It was one of the many little things that reminded him just how lucky he was to have his family. Someone had stuck a label on it, decreeing ‘Kevin Only! Do Not Touch!’ complete with a doodle of a skull and crossbones. He wouldn’t, though. Despite wanting a morning coffee he just knew that Sarah would laugh at him and Lucas, whose growth spurt during his mission had been simply unacceptable, would try and wrestle it out of his hands. It was safer to wait. His mom had seen where he was looking, at any rate.

“Not like you to be late to a meal, Kevin. And Jack was down first to help us lay the table. I know that when you were little you used to pretend to be each other, but this is just uncanny. Are you sure that the pair of you didn’t switch places?” she said, with a smile.

The joke had become commonplace by now, and Kevin would have thought that his... reconsideration of his faith and lifestyle would have had further reaching consequences than just becoming the butt of a family joke. Everyone laughed - even Connor - obligatory titters, as opposed to uncontrollable gales of laughter. The joke was wearing a little thin, but even unamused as he was, Kevin knew that it was a joke.

Kevin was just about to give in to temptation and stand to make himself a coffee when his dad put the paper down, definitively. Kevin waited.

“How’s Great Grandpa?” His dad asked, and while the question was directed towards Kevin the whole table burst into conversation. There had been chatter in Uganda, but there was nothing quite like family.

“Shame he can’t make it,” said Jack, most of his attention on the phone by the side of his plate. Kevin would wager that his twin was texting Francine. He couldn’t talk, not even to tease, after the amount that he had skyped Connor before he’d arrived.

“It’s best for him not to travel these days,” replied his mom, who probably knew every piece of gossip from the entire extended family. Someone had to keep track for parties like these.

“Nice that he called though,” that was Sarah, around her hot cocoa. Her hair was hanging perfectly straight around her shoulders as it never did naturally, and Kevin thought it was well worth oversleeping if it meant not having to compete with Sarah for the bathroom (her morning hair routine rivaled only his own, if Kevin was being completely honest with himself).

And then, finally, the petulant, “Kevin always was his favorite,” from Ethan.

Kevin couldn’t deny that, he had always been Great Grandpa’s favorite, and it had been him who Grandpa had wanted to talk to. It just happened that he’d been called to the phone just as Connor was set to arrive.

“Grandpa’s doing fine, the doctors are happy with him. As long as he behaves. He’s tried to go outside without the nurse again. You know how he is.”

Grandpa had sounded tired, but nothing worth alarming anyone over. They had all known that he couldn’t make the party and they all knew why.

“Is that where you were yesterday?” Connor asked, quietly, once attention had moved elsewhere. Connor had never been one to dispel attention. Kevin knew that he’d been stressed about this meeting but he hadn’t expected so dramatic a shift in behavior, especially after having met everyone last night. Connor edged closer towards him.

“Yes, sorry. I wanted to meet you first, but he can’t travel and wanted to speak to me. He says that he’s sure I picked a fine young man, which I think is a compliment for you.”

Connor looked relieved, like another burden had been lifted, and Kevin hoped that by the end of the holiday Connor would be as comfortable with his family as he was. It had been strange, almost uncomfortable last night, things hadn’t gone as planned, and Kevin was still attempting to gain ground. He'd known that Connor was nervous about this visit, which is why he'd come to his parents' house early, to set up everything to help make it as pleasant as possible. As  _ perfect _ as possible. He hadn't counted on Jack being a surprise, or Connor's reaction. Kevin had always been the type to plan and prepare for every eventuality, but what had happened last night wasn't something he ever could have prepared for. 

Kevin didn't like surprises, they made him feel off-balance. Maybe that was how Connor was feeling right now. He put his hand on Connor's knee, just as he had last night, partly to reassure him and partly to reassure himself – but this time, this time, Connor rested his hand on top of Kevin's, and Kevin felt something ease in his chest.

His mom had tasks lined up for everyone after the dishes were neatly put away. Unfortunately for Kevin, most of these tasks would keep everyone in and around the kitchen, so there would be no way for him to sneak a cup of coffee without anyone seeing. These 4th of July parties were as regular as clockwork, and Kevin didn’t need to be told where to go, what to move or who to direct where for parking and neither did his siblings. They knew what they were doing, everyone except Connor.

“Now, Connor,” Connor looked up eagerly, clearly looking forward to pitching in. Sometimes it was easy to forget that they had put hard work and good intentions into their missions, as well as having... changed things.

“- No, I don’t expect you to do anything, for this visit, you’re a guest. Next time, next time maybe you’ll be family and forced to do chores with the rest of us. But this year, no, relax. In fact, no, Kevin says that you’re a good cook. I wanted your opinion on my salad dressing, I thought perhaps it tasted a little bland?” Kevin could hear his mom talking to Connor, even as she led him around the kitchen, and Kevin himself went out into the garden to help his dad set up the barbeque for lighting later in the afternoon.

His mom had always displayed a little too much modesty about her cooking - her funeral potatoes were always requested for potlucks, even if she did add a little too much salt for his liking. He heard them murmuring even as he moved on to rearrange the dining area to accommodate all the guests. People would be arriving soon. Connor had moved on from gentle noises of agreement to suggestions and advice by the time that Kevin had finished his morning tasks.

But there was always more to do when preparing for the traditional Price family 4th of July. Kevin had learned that years ago, and while a lot of things had changed over the years, that hadn't. It meant he wasn’t spending as much time with Connor as he’d like, and yes, this holiday was supposed to be about introducing Connor to his family and that appeared to be working. At least for the most part. He hadn’t been able to supervise every interaction, too busy dancing around tasks and greeting arriving guests, and he would’ve liked some quality time with his boyfriend. But that couldn’t be helped. They were busy.

At least Connor didn’t look paralyzed with fright whenever Kevin spotted him; Kevin had overheard him laughing with Lucas and Sarah over the family photos - he couldn’t remember which photos his parents had on display, but really, Connor had already seen the worst of him, so small Kevin covered in mud wouldn’t be enough to scare him off, probably.

Around lunchtime there were noticeably more people in the house, and it was even harder to pick Connor out of a crowded room than it had been before. Kevin was almost constantly pouring glasses of lemonade, greeting people or getting his cheeks pinched by elderly relatives. Mostly, he was waiting. Biding his time.

Some people, Kevin knew, tried to sneak cigarettes in their parents' home. But Kevin? He tried to sneak coffee.

He thought he'd got away with it until his mother cornered him in the kitchen just as he was replacing the little jar of instant coffee in the cupboard. He wondered if his parents had set some sort of alarm on it, or if it was one of those weird mom things where she just  _ knew _ . They all had a sixth sense, didn’t they?

"Now, Kevin," she said, only frowning a little as he drained half the mug in one go. "You know all of us accept you, you  _ and _ Connor, and your feelings about the church, but if you're going to drink coffee while you’re down here please don't do it in front of Grandpa Woolley, or Mr. and Mrs. Ludlow, and  _ especially _ don't drink it in front of any of your younger cousins. The last thing we need is for any of the kids to ask their parents if they could have some coffee, too. I could just hear your Great Aunt Millie now…"

"Don't worry, Mom, I was saving the great cousin coffee corruption for Thanksgiving."

His mother merely raised an eyebrow. Kevin sighed and resisted the urge to make another cup of coffee right then. "I'll brush my teeth again when I'm finished, no one will know," he said instead.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she said, pecking him on the cheek before heading to the door.

Kevin was just coming downstairs, teeth freshly cleaned and all incriminating evidence of his coffee indulgence hidden away, when Connor's voice drifted up from the hallway.

"Oh Nabulungi, it's so nice to see you ag-"

"BEST FRIEND!!!"

The shout was so loud, and so familiar, that Kevin paused on the stairs, expecting to see Arnold charging up them at any moment. Instead he heard a quiet thump, like two bodies colliding, followed by silence. Which was never a good sign when Arnold was around.

Kevin ran down the rest of the stairs, gave a startled Nabulungi a quick hug as he hurried past ("But isn't he with Arnold?" she asked Connor, who looked concerned as he said, "It's kind of a long story...") and poked his head into the living room. Arnold had his arms wrapped around Jack's waist and looked to be squeezing the life out of him. Jack, quite frankly, looked terrified. Kevin coughed once and stepped fully into the room.

Arnold looked at him, and then up at Jack, and then back to him again. His eyes went almost comically wide as he kept looking between them, and his mouth opened and closed a few times as if he wanted to speak, but couldn't. For perhaps the first time in his life, Arnold Cunningham was speechless.

And he still hadn't let go of Jack. Kevin sighed. "Arnold, you're crushing my brother."

At that, Arnold finally let go of Jack, who wasted no time retreating to the safety of the doorway, where Connor and Nabulungi were watching. "Oh my gosh," Arnold said, his face breaking into a huge grin. "You have a secret twin? You're just like Luke and Leia!"

"Um, not quite," Kevin said. "Got a hug for your actual best friend?"

Arnold pounced on him; Kevin had to stagger back a few steps just to keep his balance. "I can't believe I didn't recognize my own best friend," Arnold said, suddenly sounding distraught. "I'll never forget who you are again, I promise." He pulled away and looked up at Kevin, his eyes narrowing. "You are Kevin, right?"

"Yes, I'm Kevin," he said, sighing again. "Arnold, you've been to my house before. You've  _ met Jack _ before."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did! Last year, right after Christmas you spent the weekend and Jack was here. He was home for the break, same as I was." It had been a short visit, sure, and Arnold had stayed in Lucas' room while he was away on his mission instead of sharing Kevin and Jack's room, but they'd all been there, together. Though, now that he thought about it, Jack had spent most of the weekend with Francine. Kevin couldn't actually remember if he and Jack and Arnold had spent any time together at all.

"Uh-uh," Arnold said, shaking his head emphatically. "No way. I would've remembered if my best friend had a cool secret twin."

"He's not my secret twin," Kevin said wearily, just as Jack said, "We did meet, we had breakfast together one morning, when Kevin overslept. As usual."

Kevin glared at him, but Arnold was still shaking his head.

"No," Arnold said slowly. "No, I definitely would've – wait, that explains it!"

"Explains what?" Kevin was almost afraid to ask.

"I thought it was kind of funny when I saw you later and you were wearing a completely different outfit, but I just figured you were some sort of weirdo who changed clothes twice a day," Arnold said with a shrug.

"And you never thought to question that?"

"…No? It's not like you had any other options in Uganda. How was I supposed to know you  _ didn't  _ change your clothes a bunch of times every day at home? Besides, it was breakfast, I was half asleep. Anyway, I'd never judge you about it, you're my best friend! I'll always accept everything about you, even your secret twin that you never told anyone about."

Kevin pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache coming on. "Did nobody know I was a twin?"

It was ridiculous; he knew he'd mentioned Jack before, had told them about each of his siblings, really, and yet Arnold, Connor, and Nabulungi all shook their heads. Jack looked distinctly unimpressed.

"Well," Arnold said slowly, "when we all first met you kind of… made everything all about you?"

That, Kevin grudgingly conceded, had been true . 


	5. Chapter Five - Arnold

Arnold couldn’t remember the last time he was invited to a party; it might have been in the fourth grade, there had been cake and party bags and Arnold had tried really hard to smile at the right people and be quieter. In his defense it hadn’t been his fault that the cat had ended up covered in paint, but he had been standing closest and he hadn’t _meant_ to lie.

He hadn’t been to many parties. (He knew that they happened, but he’d had school and Star Wars and then missionary training hadn’t left a lot of time for anything else).

But he was here now. Kevin had always talked about how his family celebrated the 4th of July, with a big barbeque and all his family flying in from all over the country. Arnold had thought that it sounded amazing, and he’d said so. He hadn’t been angling for an invitation, just thinking that honestly it sounded so cool. His own family never had celebrations like that, he’d told Kevin, not even for Christmas. And Kevin had invited him, just like that. He’d been invited last year as well, but this time last year he’d been back in Kitguli with Nabulungi, and this year they were here. Together.

Arnold _had_ visited Kevin’s childhood home before though, he’d had a look in Kevin’s room and knew where the bathrooms were and knew in which cupboards the glasses were stored if he wanted a drink of water in the middle of the night. It felt somehow special to be able to show Nabulungi these things in someone else’s home. She’d shown him around her village, all those years ago, and then they’d navigated getting their own place to live and figuring out where all of their things belonged. Getting to introduce her to what he knew about Kevin felt like sharing a secret. 

Even though Arnold had met most of Kevin’s family before - although not the _secret identical twin brother!_ \- Nabulungi seemed to gel with everyone much more easily, remembering names and titles far quicker than Arnold had the first time he’d met everyone. There were just so many people.

He’d met almost everyone at the airport, except Jack. Obviously. He had been off on his own mission already, Kevin had said when Arnold asked about it earlier, still reeling from the revelation of the secret twins. He probably shouldn’t have said that thing about Luke and Leia... hopefully Kevin hadn’t noticed. Connor would be a terrible Han Solo. But, no, apparently the twins had gone out on their missions in the same week - it was strange that they weren’t both in the same batch of recruits in the Mission Control Center. There could have been two Kevins. 

And then Arnold wouldn’t have known which one he wanted to be his best friend, but no, he’d prayed to Heavenly Father to be _Kevin’s_ mission companion and it had worked. Because he’d liked Kevin from the start, and because Kevin was the smartest and the best person, and he’d always been really kind to Arnold, even when Arnold was being... even more Arnold than usual.

It was kind of strange, there being two Kevin’s around; looking up and finding a Kevin in the kitchen and then a Kevin talking to his mom, and then sometimes two Kevins talking to each other. But luckily they were wearing different clothes - what if they’d gone on their mission _together_? That would have been really weird.

They’d have been identical all the time, well, okay, considering what had happened in Uganda maybe they wouldn’t have looked the same for long.

It had gotten... messy.

Kevin had been so nice, even before they became proper best friends, to try and protect him from Elder B. Arnold wasn’t sure how he would’ve have coped if he had been the one left covered in blood.

Kevin and Jack wouldn’t have looked the same after that.

But that was then and this was now, and even without nametags - they’d have both said ‘Elder Price’ anyway ... maybe Elder McKinley would have decorated them somehow, to make sure they looked different, maybe with a sticker from his reward chart? - Arnold had worked out how to tell the pair of them apart.

He wasn’t going to forget Kevin, ever again. They were wearing different clothes, and Kevin was more talkative and Jack still did his hair like Kevin had done his at the start of his mission, all formal and proper. Today Kevin’s hair was more... wild. Like he hadn’t brushed it, or like someone had messed it up with their hands. 

It was weird, but Kevin seemed happy bustling about talking to people. Nabulungi was as well, she was so good with people. She was in her element, smiling and laughing and taking selfies with her new iPhone for people. It had been a bit expensive, but that didn’t matter - her face had lit up when she’d seen it, and making Nabulungi happy was what Arnold lived for.

It was only around noon - Arnold’s stomach was rumbling even though he’d had breakfast on the way up here and Mrs. Price had been handing out trays full of diet coke and juice and bowls full of mini-pretzels to her guests to share - but there were people everywhere. Kevin had said that there’d be _even more_ people by the end of the weekend, so it was only best friend privileges that meant that he and Nabulungi would be sharing a room, alone, that night. It was Michael’s room while he was away on his mission, and when Arnold had dropped off their stuff in it he could see why they were staying in it alone. It was absolutely tiny, a tiny cupboard room with a single bed and not enough floor-space for a desk, let alone another person. But they’d be together and Kevin had arranged that especially for Arnold.

Kevin was the best. And Arnold knew that Kevin was really busy today - he was hosting, talking to people and smiling _and_ he knew that this was the first time the Prices were meeting Connor, so it was very important to Kevin - and it wasn’t that Arnold was jealous, because he knew that it was important to be a good host and to talk to everyone. But he was still really happy when Kevin wandered over to give him a hug, out of the blue.

With one arm wrapped around Arnold’s shoulder, Kevin leaned in and gestured subtly towards ... someone. Probably a cousin, all of Kevin’s family looked the same to him.

“See him?” Kevin said, and it was like he was a naughty little kid again, not that Arnold could ever imagine Kevin having been naughty, “that’s Marloy Price, my cousin, sort of, my first cousin twice removed. But anyway, he’s got a glass eye.”

Arnold stared harder to try and work out which one it was. He knew that was kind of rude but it was so cool, and kind of gross, at the same time.

Kevin noticed and chuckled.

“It’s the right one. But, if you see Connor - I was going to tell him about it but I lost him after we-” Kevin coughed suddenly and his cheeks went a little pink. He’d been on his feet all day, he probably needed some water. It would be a best friend-like thing to do to get him some, but then Kevin was talking again and Arnold was distracted.

“If you see him will you tell him? Subtly, Arnold. But Lucas was actually sick the first time Marloy took it out in front of him, and Connor’s been acting a bit weird all day.” And then Kevin was off again, with a quick pat to Arnold’s shoulder, dashing off to greet some newly-arrived cousins and help his mom hand out more apple juice to the children. 

It was funny. Before Kevin said that, Arnold hadn’t thought that Elder McKinley - no Connor, it was just Connor now, after all, _he_ wasn’t Prophet Cunningham any more so it made sense that they weren’t using the names they had in Uganda - was acting any differently than normal. A bit flighty maybe, but he’d always been light on his feet; his dancing had been really cool, especially in the mission hut when everyone had done those spontaneous dance routines. (Earlier Arnold had been talking to Kevin’s cousin Emma and apparently her mission hadn’t been anything like that. Even before he’d screwed it all up and then Kevin had helped him to fix it again, Arnold got the feeling that District Nine hadn’t quite been a normal mission). But now that Kevin had mentioned it, Arnold couldn’t help looking at Connor a bit closer and while he seemed perfectly happy - which was strange because Kevin had been sending him worrying texts before Arnold’s phone had died - he was acting a little _off_.

Not always. Just, sometimes.

Arnold couldn’t quite work it out. Connor would be happily talking to someone - and then one of Kevin’s siblings would approach and he’d sort of freeze? Like a rabbit in headlights, or like Arnold had done when those thugs in Uganda took away his and Kevin’s bags. He’d only seen Connor do that once before, when Nabulungi started performing her pageant but now it was happening every time someone who looked a _bit_ like Kevin was nearby. And then he’d either go back to his conversation, or walk away. It took a few times, and Arnold was the best at being sneaky, Connor hadn’t noticed him following him _once_ \- he felt like James Bond... or Sherlock Holmes - before he realized that Connor only walked away if it was Jack. And Arnold knew that it was Jack because of the hair, and the clothes, and the fact that at least one person called out ‘Jack’ whenever he came around - there were a lot of people at this party, and Arnold was a little relieved that other people needed clarification too. Maybe the Prices should have name badges? He’d suggest that to Kevin the next time he found his best friend. It was a little strange, whatever it was that Connor was doing. But well, if there were two Nabulungis it would be weird for Arnold, too.

Where was Nabulungi, anyway? The last he'd seen she was sitting with some of Kevin's cousins, but now the table they'd been sitting at was empty, and Arnold had no idea where she might have gone. Maybe she'd gone inside for something? He might as well look for her there, he figured, so he headed towards the house and stumbled on Kevin and Connor, hidden from the rest of the party by the trellis. No wonder he'd lost track of them, too.

He didn't mean to eavesdrop. But he couldn't help overhearing.

"Did Jack say something to you? You just seem… kind of tense? Kind of like you're trying to avoid him," Kevin was asking.

"What? No, of course not," Connor said placatingly. It was almost like his District Leader voice, but not quite. "Don't be silly, everything's fine.”

He looked away from Kevin’s earnest, concerned face and caught Arnold's eye, smiling a little manically. 

"Arnold! I haven't seen much of you. Where's Nabulungi?" He asked, all in a rush.

Arnold looked between him and Kevin; it looked like Kevin wanted to continue their conversation, but Connor seemed eager to let the matter drop. Well, Arnold couldn't just ignore a direct question. "I was just looking for her, I think she went inside."

"I'll look for her," Connor said, already heading towards the house. Yes, Arnold thought, he _definitely_ didn't want to talk about Jack.

 _Oh_ , yeah. Now that Arnold thought about it, things made a bit more sense. 

Kevin looked a little lost, and Arnold had wanted to spend time with his best friend but he really wasn't looking forward to this conversation. But Kevin needed him, so it couldn't be helped. Arnold sidled up to him. "Hey buddy, do you have a second?"

Kevin seemed distracted, no doubt thinking about Connor, but he turned to Arnold readily enough. "Sure, what's up?"

Arnold stepped closer to him and whispered – or at least, he tried to whisper, his parents always said he needed to work on that, but the conversations around them loud enough that he didn't think anyone would hear, anyway – "Um, maybe we could go somewhere to talk? With less people around? It's kind of important."

"Okay," Kevin said, giving him a funny look even as he led him around to the front of the house. No one was there, all the Prices and their guests were in the garden or in the house, and the street itself was deserted since most of the neighbors were at the party, too. Once they were there, though, sitting together on the front step, Arnold didn't know how to begin. Kevin was looking expectantly at him though, clearly waiting to hear what was so important that Arnold had to drag him away from the party, so he had to say _something_.

"I think Connor is freaking out over the whole secret twin thing," he blurted. And then he winced, because he hadn't meant to bring it up like _that_.

But Kevin didn't get angry; mostly, he just seemed confused. "He's been acting a little weird ever since he got here," he admitted. "I knew he was nervous about meeting everyone, and I thought it went pretty well considering but he keeps going shy, and you know Connor's never shy. He's usually so outgoing. And, I don't know, it almost seems like he's trying to avoid Jack? I’m not sure why, I can't imagine Jack saying something to upset him…"

He trailed off, looking more confused than ever. Arnold patted his arm.

"Look," he said, "You know I love Nova Scotia, she's perfect" – and Arnold did know her name, but it got caught on his tongue sometimes. Words had the habit of doing that if he was preoccupied, or nervous, or thinking too hard about what he was saying – sometimes they'd go away completely, all the words would vanish and he wouldn't be able to say anything at all. It had happened all the time when he was a kid; in the absence of friends he'd learned to fill the silence himself, just him and his stories, and he might have people who loved him now but he still got things wrong, and Nabulungi's lovely name was one of them. It always made him so sad when it happened, and he was working on it, but it was easy to fall back into a lifetime of bad habits when he was anxious. And anyway, he had to keep talking because Kevin, his best friend in the whole world, was sitting beside him and looking sad too, and he needed Arnold right now.

"-But if there was someone who looked exactly like her, I'd be so worried that I'd get confused by them. Like, what if I mixed them up and ended up loving the wrong one more? I mean, at first I couldn't even tell which one of you was my best friend! Just think about how much weirder it'd be if you were my boyfriend. You are Kevin, aren't you? This is just like Mirrorverse, is Jack evil? Is he growing a mustache? Are _you_ growing a mustache?"

He checked Kevin's upper lip but it was as clean-shaven as always. It didn't seem like Kevin would be growing a mustache any time soon but Arnold figured it didn't hurt to ask, just to be sure. He waited while Kevin stared at him for a long moment, a furrow between his brows, before he realized that Arnold was actually looking for an answer.

"No, Arnold, I'm not growing a mustache," he finally said. "And I don't know what Mirrorverse is but there are no evil twins here, I promise."

"Good," Arnold said, sighing in relief. "Because I don't think I could kill you if you went evil, and Jack seems like a nice guy so I wouldn't want to kill him either. I mean, maybe I'd do it if you were bitten by zombies and there was no cure and you were going to eat me. But even then I'd try to find you a cure; me, Nala, and Connor would go on a quest to heal you and it'd be just like the Lord of the Rings. The Ringwraiths are kind of like zombies anyway. Remember when we watched it, and they stabbed Frodo on Weathertop? That would be you, only we wouldn't bring you to Rivendell because you'd try to eat us, so we'd have to lock you away somewhere and instead of visiting the elves we'd probably have to find some kind of genius scientists to work on a vaccine or something-"

He knew he was rambling, but he just couldn't stop himself. It was another thing his parents had always told him to work on, but it had never stuck. Kevin was quiet, though, and seemed to be deep in thought, not following the tangent Arnold had led their conversation on. He let himself trail off abruptly, and waited.

"What did you mean by, ' _think about how much weirder it'd be if you were my boyfriend_ '?" Kevin asked at last. It took Arnold a few moments to drag himself away from the epic quest he was imagining – at this point in the narrative he was picturing himself and Nabulungi fighting off a horde of zombies side by side – to remember when he'd said that.

"Oh, you know," he said, laughing nervously. "Well, it'd be kind of awkward, wouldn't it? Finding out your boyfriend has a twin. An _identical_ twin. Like identical _everywhere_."

Kevin was back to staring at him again in obvious confusion. "What would be awkward?"

"You know," Arnold said, gesturing vaguely with his hands. When there was no flicker of comprehension on Kevin's face, he raised his eyebrows meaningfully. He really hoped he wouldn't have to spell it out for Kevin any more than that.

He saw it the moment Kevin finally caught on. "Oh my God," he said very faintly before falling silent. His face was doing something very strange. Arnold had never seen a look like that on Kevin's face before, not even when things had gone so terribly wrong back in Uganda.

"What's wrong with your face, buddy?" he said, peering close. "You look kind of like an emoji right now, like a really, really unhappy one."


	6. Chapter Six - Kevin

Kevin spent a long time sitting on the front step, trying to process what Arnold had said about Connor and Jack. Long enough that, after his stomach growled tremendously,  Arnold had finally crept away, in search of Nabulungi and nourishment. He sat there too long, really; he should be helping his family with the food, taking turns with his dad and his brothers at the grill like always, but quite frankly he had a lot on his mind. Arnold had given him more to think about than he'd ever wanted. Connor found Jack attractive. Well, if he found Kevin attractive – and Kevin liked to think that he did – then that made sense. They were identical, after all. But they were different people.

Being a twin had never seemed that exciting when Kevin was younger. Sure, he and Jack liked to have their fun sometimes, pretending to be each other, but it had never worked. Not on their family or the people who knew them best. He and Jack were just so different, everyone had always said so, once they got past their looks. Growing up, Kevin had been academically smarter than Jack – straight As on every report card, always on the honor roll, while Jack often just managed to squeak by in his classes. He'd been stronger than Jack too, and kinder and more outgoing and more devout and, well, better in every way, or so Kevin had thought for more years than he liked to admit. Everything had been a competition back then, and Kevin had usually come out on top every time, and that had made him believe – wrongly – that it made him better than his brother. It hadn't.

Now, Jack was the "better" twin – he was the devout one, the one who'd had a successful mission; he wasn't the one who'd lost his faith. He wasn’t the one who’d come home a different person. He was what Kevin had been and what he'd always expected to be, before Uganda and, oh my God, Arnold thought Connor might like Jack? No, that wasn't what Arnold had said. Kevin was getting carried away; he did that sometimes. All Arnold had said was that being confronted with a replica of Kevin was probably very weird for Connor, and Kevin really didn't want to think too hard about  _ why _ that might be awkward. Ever.

He should just get back to the party.

Everything seemed to be under control when he returned; Lucas was taking his turn at the grill, and most people were eating or looked to have just finished. Kevin hadn't been standing in the backyard for two minutes before his mom appeared at his side, pressing a plate with a cheeseburger and a scoop of potato salad into his hands. "You look pale, sweetheart, have you eaten anything since breakfast? Here, come and sit with your cousins, Brayden was just asking about your studies, you know he's graduating next year too…"

He could see Connor out on the lawn. He’d found a tray of drinks from somewhere, obviously his mom had finally cracked under Connor’s unrelenting offers to help out, and it was almost like slow motion when he saw Connor approach Great Aunt Helen Rose Price. It was  _ always _ her full name to her face, and when talking about her, as though she could listen across state lines - Kevin was always slightly worried about going to Idaho in case she’d appear out of thin air - it was always Helen Rose,  _ never _ ‘Helen’. Apparently his Great Uncle had called her ‘Rosie’ when he’d been alive, but Kevin could never believe it. Great Aunt Helen Rose had always been too shrewd and small and pointy to have ever been a Rosie. Michael had said she looked like a vulture once and had been grounded for fourteen days for it. He’d apologized, but never said that he hadn’t meant it. From how she’d picked at her ribs earlier, insisting that they were undercooked, Kevin couldn’t help but agree with his brother.

He’d meant to warn Connor about her beforehand, every family had its bad apples and the Price family only had the one. While the Prices prided themselves on being just as Mormons should, somehow Great Aunt Helen Rose had never got the memo. Or she  _ had _ and rather she chose to behave exactly as she liked anyway. Kevin and his siblings had lived in fear of the mandated visits to Twin Falls and her cutting, biting remarks that had more than once made Ethan cry.

Kevin had already had to rescue Nabulungi from her attitude - he was sure that Nabulungi could have managed on her own against his Great Aunt and her horrible behavior, but she shouldn’t  _ have  _ to. He’d just managed to get over there in time to hear Great Aunt Helen Rose start a tirade as though she possibly thought that he’d agree with her - “Well, at least she’s  _ technically _ a Mormon, but really, Kevin you were meant to leave these people where you found them, not bring them back with you, what do the Cunninghams think about having her for an in-law, I wonder?” - before whisking Nabulungi away, with a scowl in Great Aunt Helen Rose’s direction. He’s seen Jack and Sarah go over and have words with her afterwards. When Kevin hosted a party, he and Connor in their little Denver apartment, she would  _ certainly _ not be invited. 

He hadn’t had the opportunity to warn Connor about her though. Connor had been worried enough about visiting without giving him cause to. He knew that his family would be fine about Connor, they’d accepted Kevin despite everything and Connor was so important to him and they respected that. And Connor was incredibly affable, there was no way that anyone would  _ not _ like him. Except Great Aunt Helen Rose. He’d hoped that she wouldn’t be coming, that the idea of seeing Kevin after ‘he turned gay’ or that the idea of actually meeting Connor face to face would be too much for her. But apparently not.

Kevin was too far away to interrupt - caught in conversation with  Brigham and Brayden, Price not Bradsure - he really should have drawn Connor a family tree in advance, he’d grown up with these people and sometimes it was a wonder that he could keep the names right in his head. But he saw Great Aunt Helen Rose look up and take the proffered drink, before staring Connor down. They hadn’t been introduced, but Connor was polite and he’d introduce himself, and even if he didn’t he was the odd-one-out in a family of Prices who all shared their looks  _ and  _ he was new. Great Aunt Helen Rose had never missed a Price Family 4th of July Party in her life. It wouldn’t be hard for her to put two and two together to make... Connor.

At least she didn’t pour her drink all over him. Kevin couldn’t hear exactly what she said, they were too far away and it was too loud with idle chatter, but he could see Connor’s face fall. He had to get over there to help, had to extricate himself from his conversation, to heck with manners. He was just about to duck out of conversation with Brigham and Brayden, leaving them to it when he saw his dad step forward.

Kevin had been surprised at just how well his family had taken, well, everything, when he’d finally unburdened himself. It had been such a relief to finally be able to put it into words, to be able to express just  _ what _ it was that felt different. Kevin had taken full advantage of an almost full house (Lucas was away on his mission) because he knew that if he didn’t do this now, then he might not find the courage to do it again. It was such a normal day, Mom and Dad at the head of the table, and his siblings in their regular seats - the gap for Lucas, left at meal times - Kevin had stood up and paused, taking a deep breath before starting like a sermon. 

He’d rehearsed his speech, written up his notes and treated it like proselytizing; he had a message that he had to share and truths that he had to reveal.

And they had taken it well, sitting silently at the kitchen table, his mother knotting her hands together and his father still loosely gripping his newspaper.

“And there’s something else...” Kevin had said, and before he could back out, he had continued.

His parents had been so understanding but he’d thought, for one moment, that his sexuality had been a step too far.

When he’d finished speaking there was a moment of abject silence - no whistling coffee machine or the background noise of the street that made Denver feel like home - and his mom and siblings had smiled and nodded at him, confused frowns but still smiling, but his dad had gone stony faced behind his newspaper, had laid the  _ Deseret News _ down on the table in front of him, had announced that he was taking a walk, and then left.

In those ten minutes Kevin had felt as though he were five years old again. His siblings filed out in front of him - Jack clapped his shoulder - but none of them spoke.

“Your father will come around, Kevin,” his mom had said, as she too had left the kitchen, pointedly talking about laundry that needed doing, vacating the room for Kevin to talk to his dad alone when - if - he came back.

For ten minutes Kevin had worried, worried and waited, before his father had stepped back into the room.

“Heavenly Father doesn’t make mistakes, son,” he had said gruffly, and despite everything Kevin knew about his family and their acceptance, and their love, his heart had stopped for a moment in sheer terror.

His father kept staring and despite being taller - he and Jack had outgrown their father by their sixteenth birthdays - Kevin always felt smaller under the weight of his father’s gaze.

“If this is who you are, then this is who you are supposed to be. We support you and we love you, Kevin.”

Kevin had cried.

His dad’s opinion mattered to him, it always had.

Kevin was so grateful that he had the family that he did, and now he was so grateful to have Connor.

He had seen his dad shake Connor’s hand last night after dinner. He’d been standing by the house and looked back to Connor in the growing darkness and had seen his dad reach out to him. To say that it was more than Kevin had expected would be disingenuous; his father had said that he’d accepted him but there was a difference between hearing it and witnessing his father reach out a hand to his boyfriend.

His father had said something too, Kevin had seen his lips move and Connor ducking his head, but he hadn’t asked Connor about it. Strangely, it seemed too private. Somehow, it wasn’t about Kevin.

And this wasn’t about Kevin either - not really - and Kevin was too far away to help; even when he finally left his cousins and started towards them he could only see his father speak to Great Aunt Helen Rose, but he couldn’t hear what was said. He saw a flash of surprise dart across Connor’s face.

Whatever it was, Great Aunt Helen Rose looked furious, and her fury only seemed to grow as Kevin approached, picking his way around chairs and small children and the neighbors' dog, all of which seemed to be doing their best to trip him on his way. He reached them just in time to hear his father say, "–Connor is always welcome in our home, and I won't stand for any suggestions otherwise, from anyone."

His father rarely raised his voice and he didn't do so now; still, he made his point, and Great Aunt Helen Rose looked apoplectic. Kevin had never seen her look so enraged and considering that she always seemed to be angry about something, that was saying a lot. His father had a hand on Connor's shoulder, Kevin only noticed it just now, and when they caught each other's eye his dad nodded and gave Connor a gentle push in Kevin's direction.

"Are you okay?" Kevin said quietly, grabbing his hands. He knew Connor wouldn't want him to make a scene; he'd been so shy around everyone since he'd arrived, and he wouldn’t want any more attention than he'd already received. At least most of the guests hadn't noticed anything amiss, but Kevin's siblings had, always on the lookout for their great aunt's misbehavior just as he was, and they were all crowding alongside them now, even Ethan, who'd always tried to avoid spending any more time around her than he absolutely had to.

Connor looked shaken but he nodded. "I'm fine, it's okay. But your dad-" He shook his and smiled. "You have the best family, Kevin."

And he did, didn't he – his siblings were all chiming in now, saying how nice Connor was, and how happy they were to finally get to know him – "He's part of our family now," Jack even said, in his own quiet way. Great Aunt Helen Rose was practically turning purple around the edges. They'd probably hear her complain about this moment at every family gathering for years to come. Kevin didn't trust himself to speak to her just now, or maybe ever. At least not without using the sort of language that would upset everyone within earshot. He turned away instead and pulled Connor into a hug.

They hadn't been overly affectionate since Connor's arrival – not because of anything they'd discussed, or any wish to downplay their relationship – there were just so many people around, so many guests whose needs had to be seen to all the time, and Kevin had been so busy and Connor so reticent around so many new people. There had only been those few moments they'd managed to snatch earlier, before most of the guests had arrived – Kevin had been sent to the garage to find more chairs, and Connor had followed him there, and they'd spent more time kissing than looking for the chairs. It was a wonder no one had come looking for them, with both of them gone for so long, or that no one had suspected anything. Maybe they had. Hours later, Kevin had caught a glimpse of his hair in the reflection of a window, and Connor's hands had left it messier than he'd ever normally allow it to look in public. He didn't care what anyone thought now, though, his only concern was Connor, who wrapped his arms around Kevin's waist and hugged him back, tightly, without any hesitation at all.

"Well, you heard what Jack said, you're part of it now," Kevin said, and ducked down to kiss Connor's cheek.


	7. Chapter Seven - Nabulungi

In a strange way, the party reminded Nabulungi a little of home. Kevin came from such a large family, there had to be as many of his relatives crowded into the yard as there were people in her village back home. In her old home; she had two homes now, the one she'd made here, with Arnold, and the one she'd always have with her Baba in the village, and that was perfect. 

She'd have to write to Baba later and tell him all about the party. She knew he'd love to hear about the different foods and the different people who didn't look that different at all - all of the Prices were so similar, not only Kevin and Jack - and all day long she'd been taking photos of everyone and everything on her new iPhone to show him. She'd print out a few, label them appropriately - making sure to point out the small differences between Jack and Kevin that were easiest to see in person, rather than pictures - and mail them with her letter, but the rest she would show Baba when she and Arnold visited him in the winter. After Christmas, that was when they'd agreed to go, and she couldn't wait. It would be good to see Baba and all of her old friends again, and someday Baba would have to visit her here. Maybe he could even come to the Price Family 4th of July party next year. He would like sampling the foods, there was so much of everything and Mrs. Price - Suzanne - was a very good cook. Arnold was a good cook too; Nabulungi had been surprised about that, perhaps unfairly so, but it had just been so unexpected. Suzanne had already promised to give Nabulungi some of her recipes, and maybe she and Arnold could try making them together at home.

She was already looking forward to it. And once they had them practiced then they could invite Connor and Kevin over for dinner. It would be like the old times, except different. Kevin would, after all, be the best judge of how well they’d managed his mother’s recipe. And it would make Arnold so happy.

Arnold was talking to Kevin somewhere; earlier she’d seen the two of them deep in conversation and thought that it was best to leave them to it. He’d missed his best friend, she knew that, and she understood, she really did. The letters and phone calls from home always made life here a little bit brighter, even though it was already splendid. She imagined that talking to Kevin made Arnold feel something similar.

Everyone at the party was kind though, apart from that old woman from earlier, so she didn't feel lonely even with Connor, the only other person she knew, off talking to Cousin Marloy. She could see them discussing something from here. He had a glass eye, Cousin Marloy, but Connor didn't seem to be reacting to it at all, which was good. Arnold had warned her about it too, and she had giggled at first about how strange that must be, and how uncomfortable. But, really, it was very clever when you thought about it. Maybe if she asked nicely he’d show her how it worked? From this distance she couldn’t tell which eye was the fake one.

She turned her attention back to her savory jello. It was very strange, but certainly not bad. She just hadn't expected it to have carrots in it... or cheese. It was nice to eat the food that Arnold had had growing up. She hoped that after today she would be able to persuade Arnold to make some, or teach her how to make it. That could be fun. Messy. But fun.

She wasn’t alone for very long. She didn’t necessarily feel out of place among the big Price family, where they all had the same smile and the same skin, but it was nice when the only other person at the party who wasn’t white came over to her.

Arnold wasn't brilliant with names, and was even less so after he’d worked out that Kevin actually had a twin brother. But even had Nabulungi not recognized her, Francine launched straight into conversation as though they were old friends even before Nabulungi had had a chance to finish her final spoonful of jello. She could certainly... talk.

“Kevin hasn’t told me nearly enough about you, however. You were on your mission when you guys met, how sweet!”

“Well, it was just Arnold and Kevin’s mission, they came to my village,” Francine had to have known _that_ , or maybe she was just being polite. Nabulungi liked polite people. “Well, I should say Prophet Cunningham.”

“Prophet?” Francine’s eyebrows raised fractionally up her lovely face as she asked that. And, maybe Kevin hadn’t explained to his family exactly why their mission was so special. It seemed strange that he wouldn’t have done. But then, as Arnold had explained to her, so many Mormon families knew each other that perhaps the Prices knew about the Mission President and how he had judged their actions. It was very complicated. And Francine looked like she was interested.

“Yes, Prophet Cunningham, Arnold - my Arnold. But we don’t follow the Church of Arnold any more, it was just a metaphor for The Book of Mormon, to make it easier for the people in my village to understand the text,” she explained. 

That was how they’d explained it to her, after. After the pageant and after the hurt. It had made sense, even though at the time the thought of these people she trusted lying to her had crushed her soul. It was better when they all worked on The Book of Arnold together.

No one should be made to feel small.

Francine still looked a little confused, but she kept smiling.

“So, this ‘Book of Arnold’ was a type of... translation?” Francine asked, gesturing vaguely with her hands. Nabulungi would have echoed the motion but she still had her empty jello bowl and thought it impolite to wave that around. The barbeque was starting to be cleared away and Arnold had sounded very excited when he’d talked about all the types of sweets and desserts that the Price family were bound to have.

“Yes, exactly,” said Nabulungi, delighted. “And it worked. Our village was saved, and I met Arnold. But how did you meet Kevin’s brother? You two are very sweet together.”

Francine blushed. Nabulungi loved Arnold, and Kevin and Connor in her way, but she hoped that she and Francine could be friends as well.

“Why thank you, Nabulungi,” Francine slowed down when she pronounced her name, putting in the extra effort to say it correctly. And Nabulungi didn't mind that Arnold couldn't say it right all the time, she knew that she should but he’d explained before about words and his brain and really, he loved her and she knew that - but that didn't stop it being nice to hear it said properly. Her name was a piece of home that she carried around with her always.

“We used to go to school together actually, me, Jack, and Kevin,” Francine continued. “All of the Prices went to the same school, but because we were the same age we became friends. And then, well, the boys went off on their missions and I started writing to Jack, and when he came back we thought we’d make things official.”

“Are you engaged?” Nabulungi hadn’t even finished the question before Francine laughed. It wasn’t a cruel laugh though, if anything it was a little tired, despite the mirth. 

“No, not yet. Jack’s got one last year of college and then we said we’d do it. A proper Temple wedding.”

She and Arnold hadn’t had a Temple wedding, she supposed that their wedding had been slightly unusual in that respect. 

“That’s okay,” she said, as Francine started to look a little sad. “I had to propose to Arnold, he was far too slow.”

And that had made her laugh, properly. 

The party was winding down; Suzanne and Sarah and a couple of the boys were setting out the desserts. There was more jello, bowls and bowls of it, in all colors, but there were pies too, and cupcakes and a platter of fruit. Arnold would be happier with the cupcakes, she knew, and so would Kevin; he had a sweet tooth that he always tried to hide. 

But when she looked around for Arnold again she didn't find him heading to the dessert table. Instead he was across the garden, surrounded by half a dozen of the youngest Price cousins. The smallest couldn't be more than three years old, but all of them were listening to Arnold with rapt attention. Her Arnold always did seem to find a congregation wherever he went.

Kevin was hanging around nearby looking, quite frankly, terrified. Perhaps he expected a repeat of what had happened in Uganda and was ready to intervene at the first mention of frogs, but Nabulungi knew he had nothing to worry about. Arnold was good with children, that was another thing that probably shouldn't have surprised her but had, at first. Arnold's stories might still be filled with strange references but Kevin didn't have to be concerned. Still, Nabulungi went over to join them. She liked listening to stories too, especially his, and she liked watching Arnold interacting with children. Maybe this was something she and her husband should talk about, someday soon.


	8. Chapter Eight - Kevin

Arnold's story was coming to an end, thankfully – not that he was saying anything inappropriate for his audience of three-to-eight year olds, but Kevin couldn't help remembering Nabulungi's pageant and he didn't want a repeat of that. If his mom didn't want him drinking coffee in front of his cousins, imagine what she'd say if Arnold started going on about dysentery or worse. But it was fine, so far. Arnold was still making things up, but there was no talk of religion of all, or gross bodily functions; it was all dragons and spaceships and magic, and the kids were hanging onto his every word.  

"He is good with them, isn't he?" Nabulungi said, sounding proud.

"Very." But then, Arnold had been a favorite of the children in Uganda too, so that wasn't much of a surprise. He wondered if it would be safe to leave now, with Nabulungi there to supervise, or if he should stay until the end just to be sure. He probably should stay but he wanted to check on Connor again, after that incident earlier with Great Aunt Helen Rose. Connor had assured him that he was fine, and he looked fine now, talking to Jack and Francine, but still. Kevin really should check on him. Just to be sure.

Nabulungi followed his gaze across the yard and when she turned back to Kevin she looked concerned. "But the children look much happier than you do. What is wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, probably far too quickly. Nabulungi didn't look convinced.

"Something must be wrong. Arnold said this was your favorite day of the year, but it doesn't look like it is. Did something happen?"

Kevin found himself looking across the yard again, though, at Connor and Jack and Francine. They were still talking – well, Francine was talking – but Connor seemed happy enough, listening to her alongside Jack. He didn't seem to be as weirded out by Jack's existence, or appearance, as Arnold had made him out to be. Which meant… Kevin didn't know what that meant.

It would be easy just to tell Nabulungi no, he was fine, nothing was wrong and he was having a great time. He had been having a mostly nice time all day, anyway; he'd been busy, and Kevin liked being busy, and he'd been with his family and Connor and his closest friends, the people who were most important to him, and what could be better than that? But it had been a difficult day too, in many ways, and Kevin had never been very good at hiding his feelings.

He'd never been a competent liar either (doughnut incident aside) and so he said, "Connor finds Jack attractive. At least, that's what Arnold implied."

At this point in the story Arnold was saying something about horses piloting spaceships, so Kevin figured it was probably safe to leave him after all and allowed Nabulungi to lead him a little away from the group.

To her credit, Nabulungi didn't laugh at him or roll her eyes or tell him that he was being silly. She was smiling at him, though. "Kevin, Jack looks identical to  _ you _ . Connor loves  _ you _ ."

And they'd never said as much, he and Connor had always avoided those exact words, but that didn't mean they weren't true. He had no reason to doubt Nabulungi. She sounded very certain of it, for one thing. And well, Kevin felt certain too, now that he thought about it. Connor maybe, probably, loved him. And Kevin absolutely, definitely, loved Connor.

"I-" Kevin ducked his head; those words were for Connor to hear first, not Nabulungi. "I'm being ridiculous."

Nabulungi patted his arm. "I won't tell."

Once Kevin had learned to stop talking and started to understand listening, he’d had an appreciation for silence, if not a talent for it. So the silence that fell between him and Nabulungi wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. It was just natural.

Dusk was falling and Kevin thought that he knew what was going to happen next, and not only in terms of Arnold’s story. He  _ sometimes _ knew the way that his best friend’s brain worked, and he suspected that it was probably time for the big dramatic finale. He could see Arnold gesturing wildly from here and beside him Nabulungi smiled, eager to hear what happened next.

Not for the first time Kevin couldn't help but think that they were made for each other, her and Arnold.

If they had children - the thought came to him unbidden - then he’d be Uncle Kevin. He’d be Uncle Kevin if any of his siblings had children; Jack and Francine will probably have a huge family, rivaling their parents, and they will be disgustingly happy, and Kevin will be Uncle Kevin there too. He’d always felt part of his family, but somehow the idea that he was also such a big part of his friends' lives was almost a surprise. A good one.

It hadn’t been the most relaxing 4th of July Party. It was no one’s fault, it was just the way it had happened. But now it was starting to get dark and Kevin was surrounded by family and friends and he could see Jack, Francine, and Connor walking towards the miscellaneous collection of cousins being wowed by Arnold’s storytelling.

Kevin was about ninety percent sure that between Jack, Francine, and himself they could remember all of their cousins' names. There were a lot of them, and several of them shared names, but he thought they could manage it.

Nabulungi drifted away to Arnold’s side, and immediately became swept up in the narrative - Nabulungi the good witch of the North arrived on the enchanted space island - and Kevin cast his gaze from her to what Jack, Francine, and Connor were carrying.

He’d almost forgotten about the sparklers.

Connor was carrying two buckets of water - a familiar sight from Uganda - he was surprisingly strong between the manual labor of their mission and his recreational dancing, and he must have told Francine and Jack eloquently enough to forestall any argument, because she was holding the cloth bag that Kevin knew from experience was full of odd gloves that everyone should wear for safety, but no one will, and talking insistently but not offering to take one of the buckets. Jack himself was holding the coveted sparklers and the lighter.

“The End,” Arnold said, just as the buckets were placed carefully on the ground - only a little overspill from both of them - and the cloth bag, lighter, and sparklers were passed over to Kevin. Connor smiled sheepishly, wiggling his fingers in an approximation of a wave, as if it had been days and not just an hour or so since they last saw each other.

Kevin could tell what Jack’s plan was, and Jack didn't even look guilty when he wrapped an arm around Francine’s shoulders and led her away from their little group. They hadn't had much time alone together this weekend, more than he and Connor had, but still. He and Connor would be living together, and they had freedoms in other ways that Francine and Jack just didn't have. At least, they wouldn't have until Jack got around to proposing; they all knew that it would happen, it was just a matter of when. Kevin understood that they wanted a modicum of privacy, even if they were still surrounded by family, and he didn't mind.

Even if now it was solely down to Kevin to keep track of a bunch of small cousins as they quite literally played with fire.

Not that he wouldn't have help. Luckily Nabulungi had always been practical and Connor’s past experience as a district leader came through. He was strict but fair and none of the cousins burned themselves. Connor even persuaded Joshua to wear safety gloves - which in the eight years that he’d been allowed to play with the sparklers Kevin had never known to happen.

The only person to come close to burning themselves was Arnold, and even then Nabulungi was there to swoop in and drop the fizzing sparkler into the water before any damage was really done.

Soon enough each child was waving a sparkler around. Connor was idly drawing hearts in the air in glitter - Kevin felt a twist in his chest as he watched Connor’s hands draw out the familiar pattern - and Nabulungi was writing her name for Arnold to follow. Perhaps it would be easier for him to remember if he could see it and hear it at the same time? Perhaps that was her idea.

“It’s kind of funny,” Connor said, but even though he was smiling his tone of voice didn't sound as though he thought what he was about to say was actually funny. It was more quizzical than anything else.

Kevin made a humming noise in his throat, indicating that Connor should continue. For a moment he thought that the train of thought had rolled on, but Connor cleared his throat and continued.

“That no one’s said anything, about the four of us supervising other people’s children. I mean, I know they’re your family. But Arnold, Nabulungi, me... we’re strangers. I’d have expected someone to put up a fuss?”

Kevin thought that he knew what Connor was thinking, and, that hadn’t even occurred to him. His family loved Connor. He'd known that they would, and they did, but he almost couldn't articulate it. And then he didn't have to.

“Why would they?” Arnold asked, as his own sparkler - his fourth of the evening - fizzled out of existence and he dropped the smoking stick into the water.

And it was true.

There was a hand on his shoulder, and he hadn’t even noticed anyone walking up, but from the momentary flicker of Connor’s eyes he had an idea who it was. He supposed that it really must be strange, and Connor hadn’t exactly had the opportunity to meet Jack independently of Kevin. Maybe the next time they met, when there were less people around, they'd get to know each other well enough for it to stop being strange.

“Can I borrow my brother for a moment?”

Arnold made a big show of thinking and gave an overdramatic sigh that made Nabulungi giggle, but only after Connor smiled and shrugged did Jack tug him away.

Kevin hadn’t had a chance to talk to his brother alone ever since he'd arrived - they'd all been so busy preparing for the barbeque, and there was always at least one other sibling around, or one of their parents, or Francine. Or Connor, now, Kevin supposed. Earlier Jack had told Great Aunt Helen Rose that he was part of their family now, and Kevin had never thanked him for it.

"Jack, I-"

"Kevin, I-"

They did this sometimes, but not as often as people assumed they would, being twins and all. Jack had always been the quieter one, and Kevin had always been eager to make his voice heard, but he really had learned to be a better listener now. "You first."

"I was just thinking, it looks like Connor is fitting in with everyone," Jack said. "Like he's-"

"-part of the family?" Kevin did that on purpose this time, but Jack didn't seem to mind. "Thanks for stepping in before. That could have been very bad, if you and Dad and the others hadn't been there."

"We didn't do anything much." Jack had always been the more modest twin, too. And it seemed to come naturally to him. "And anyway, I meant it. If it were anyone else I'd say that she will come around eventually, but it is Great Aunt Helen Rose we're talking about... But everyone else loves Connor already, you know."

And Kevin did know that, he'd thought it himself earlier, but to actually hear Jack say it meant more than he would have ever expected. It felt almost as if a weight he hadn't known he'd been carrying had fallen from his shoulders, and saying thank you again just doesn't seem like enough.

Jack seemed to understand everything Kevin couldn't say. "I'm glad you found someone who makes you so happy." His hand, still on Kevin's shoulder, gave a comforting squeeze as he turned to go.

Kevin had to call after him. "Jack! Look, I'm really sorry for - well, for never really talking about you to my friends. For not mentioning you properly, and for making things weird with Connor and Arnold this weekend."

He was prepared to grovel more, because he really did feel terrible about it, and not just for the awkwardness that he caused, but more because of the knowledge that he'd done wrong by Jack, that he could have been a better brother. Since returning from their missions they'd been closer than they had ever been, and Kevin wouldn't make the same mistakes in the future.

Once again, he and Jack seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Don't worry about it. That's all in the past, it doesn't matter anymore. We're good now, right?"

They were good, and Kevin let him know with a hug.

People would be leaving soon. Kevin could see the signs of it already; the grill had been cleaned and covered and Sarah and Ethan were gathering up the leftover desserts to bring inside. Some of the smallest children had fallen asleep in their parents' arms as soon as the sparklers had been put away, and their parents were talking in hushed voices over their heads about their drives home.

"Francine and I are going to head over to see the fireworks soon," Jack said as they walked back to where the others were standing. "You should come with us this year, it'll be fun."

Kevin had never wanted to go before. He'd never even considered it. But this year, the thought of watching the fireworks with Connor, hand in hand, was tempting.

Francine came over to join them just as the smallest cousins began approaching them, one by one, to say goodbye. Most of them also thanked the Cunninghams for their story - apparently Nabulungi had helped with the ending, and Kevin wished he'd paid better attention to it. 

At the first "Goodnight, Cousin Connor!" he startled and turned to Kevin in surprise. "Did she just…?"

Kevin shrugged and smiled. "Well, what else should they call you?"

Connor still looked a little stunned but he seemed pleased too, and he recovered enough to actually reply to the next little Price cousin who said goodbye to him. Kevin thought he might be blushing, but it was difficult to tell with only the few lights scattered around the backyard. He slipped his hand into Connor's, and smiled when he felt Connor's fingers curl around his own, instinctively. "Once everyone leaves, there's another Price family tradition. Some of us go to the park and watch the fireworks. My parents never go, and neither do all of my siblings, but I was wondering if you'd like to go?"  

"That would be lovely," Connor said, smiling almost as if he were answering a different question.


	9. Chapter Nine - Kevin

The park was relatively busy - it was certainly busier than Kevin had ever seen it before - but it wasn't overly crowded. There was a feeling of camaraderie and friendship and calm in the air as they all waited for the fireworks to light up the sky. There were families, gaggles of high school friends laughing over unheard things, small children gently dozing in strollers and elderly couples leaning against each other and looking up at the sky.

They didn't have anywhere to be, and the six of them hadn’t planned what they were going to do. Just that they were going to go. It would be unfair to say that they'd wanted to get away from everyone, but his mom had seemingly understood when they all made gestures towards the park and had waved them away with a smile.

Jack, Francine, Arnold and Nabulungi went in the Rees' family car, with Jack at the helm, and the fact that Arnold and Nabulungi were technically acting as their chaperones made Connor laugh. He’d started giggling in Kevin’s father’s car as Kevin drove the two of them in short procession.

“Do you know how hard it was, trying to keep the records straight in Uganda for those two? And now they’re the responsible married couple!”

And Kevin had laughed too.

It wasn't a long walk when they finally parked a few streets over; the weather was good, the sidewalks were wide enough to walk side-by-side, elbows and shoulders brushing, and it was good to be together.

A couple of the younger Bradsure cousins had been talking about joining them and driving out later, but told them not to wait up. Kevin felt a little guilty for being glad that they weren’t accompanied, but there had been _so many_ people earlier, and he loved his family but sometimes, a little time apart was good too.

Nabulungi pulled a picnic blanket out of a bag, and she must have been talking to his mom because even she couldn't be that prepared - and anyway, Kevin recognized it as the key part of any number of childhood ‘tents’ or ghost costumes, a faded pale peach that was as much a part of his childhood memories as the Donald Duck poster still hanging in his old bedroom. Now Nabulungi spread it out on the grass and she and Arnold huddled together, wrapped around each other and watching the sky. There weren't even any fireworks yet.

“The stars look different here,” he overheard her saying, and Kevin hoped that Arnold knew enough about astronomy to explain why the stars were different above Kitguli than Salt Lake City.

The temperature had dropped since the sun went down and Connor was shivering, but he shook off Kevin’s offer of his jacket. It was almost as if he didn't notice, he seemed to be so distracted by the growing crowds, by the sense of anticipation in the air. Idly Kevin wondered what Connor would be giving up to come and live with him in Denver. Whatever it was, Connor didn't seem to be dwelling on it right now. He turned to Kevin and smiled.

There were a couple of food stalls and Jack and Francine, despite having eaten their fill at the barbeque, disappeared off in that direction. Nabulungi had her iPhone out and was holding it up to the sky as Arnold traced the patterns on the digital star map onto the stars above. A couple of people standing nearby had programs, but Kevin liked the suspense of waiting for the fireworks to start at random. Some things in life he couldn't control, and this was going to be incredible despite his lack of preparation. 

Kevin had never gone to see the fireworks before, and he told Connor as much as they waited.

“What?” Connor seemed disbelieving. “Never? But it seems so… fun, and happy. Just the sort of thing you'd love.” 

Kevin wasn’t embarrassed as such, simply aware of just how little of his perfect life he'd actually lived before it became flawed, and imperfect, and wonderful all at once.

“Well, I always just tended to do the washing up or else I'd get an early night. I was never really... interested in that sort of thing.”

He shrugged and the motion jostled Connor’s shoulder. They were standing close, side by side, but he still moved closer.

He was looking forward to it, he realized - the fireworks, the park, going home for the traditional 5th of July breakfast - and most importantly he was looking forward to doing these things with Connor. It was the start of a new tradition, that took the best of the old and of the new. Almost every day he realized the genius of what Arnold had taught in Uganda over and over again. People didn't have to stick to the same old ideas to be happy. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Jack and Francine had found someone from school - or was it church? - and they were talking excitedly, their hands animated. And yes, those were the hand gestures and stances that he'd learned to associate with discussions about their inevitable wedding. Kevin could have gone over there and joined them, he knew them all. But he didn't. 

It wasn't that the friends that he'd made at home weren't real, but things had changed since Uganda. Kevin no longer needed to be at the center of everything, not when everything that mattered most to him was right here. He tightened his arm around Connor and leaned forward to hook his chin over his shoulder, just in time to feel Connor jump as the first fireworks were set off. Kevin laughed good-naturedly. He was happy just where he was, standing with Connor and watching the sky, together. 

The fireworks were truly magical, lighting up the sky in shimmers, and as a collective whole the entire park ‘ooh-ed’ and ‘ahh-ed’ and gasped at every crackle. For a brief moment Kevin was worried, and he was close enough to feel Connor tense when someone stepped close to them - neither of them were being subtle, latched together with tight fingers and happy smiles - but most people surrounding them were looking up at the sky rather than at them and Kevin could fight the world. Or he would, if it wouldn’t mean he had to let go of Connor. He was exactly where he wanted to be.

His chin was still resting on Connor's shoulder, which made it easy for Connor to turn his head and kiss Kevin's cheek, quick enough that no one else would notice, but still sweet. "Would it be okay if we took a walk?"

"Right now?" The fireworks were still going on, and Jack had promised that they would for some time. Kevin was surprised that Connor wanted to miss any of it, he'd seemed excited enough before. "Is everything okay?"

There was an explosion of red and white overhead, brighter than any of the others that had come before, and in the flash of light Kevin was relieved to see that Connor didn't look upset. He was even smiling, albeit a little distractedly. "Yeah, I still want to watch but I also wanted to talk, and…" He trailed off, waving a hand at everyone around them, not paying attention but still close enough to overhear, and Kevin understood.

He let Connor lead him away, hand in hand, past Arnold and Nabulungi, who was filming the fireworks on her phone, and all the way to the edges of the crowd. There was no bad place to watch the fireworks, after all, and right now Kevin was more interested in what Connor had to say, anyway.

He didn't have to wait long; Connor turned to him as soon as they were away from everyone, still holding tight to Kevin's hand. "It's silly, I know it is, but I was so nervous about this weekend and meeting your family, and when I first arrived and saw Jack and Francine together I thought – well, I thought it was you, with her."

And that – that was terrible, it was shocking and appalling and it _hurt_ , knowing that Connor had thought that of him. "What?"

"I know you'd never do that," Connor said quickly. "But I was so worried, I wasn't thinking clearly." He looked embarrassed and yet, it was almost a relief to finally know why Connor had been acting so strange. To know that it hadn't had anything to do with Jack, not really. 

"I was worried you'd like my brother better than me," Kevin blurted, and now it was Connor's turn to look shocked.

" _What_?"

Kevin smiled weakly. "I guess I was nervous too."

"Oh." Connor still looked surprised, but his smile was soft and thoughtful, as if he still had something on his mind. "You said, before…"

He took a deep breath, clearly gathering himself to say something. Kevin couldn't imagine what it might be; he'd said a lot of things recently, and also not nearly enough. Neither of them had, really, but it looked like Connor was ready to talk now, even if he glanced away to watch the fireworks for a moment, as if he was trying to bide his time while he got his thoughts together. He took another breath and turned back to Kevin and said, "I love you."

The fireworks, now going off non-stop as part of the grand finale, were no competition for the sound of Kevin's racing heart. He swore he could hear it over all the noise, over the explosions and the cheering of the crowd, and he was powerless to stop it, just as he couldn't keep the enormous smile off his face.

"I love you, too," he said, and kissed Connor as the sky lit up in gold.


	10. Chapter 10 - Connor

One of the first things that Kevin had explained to him about the Prices' annual 4th of July Party, even before they'd started dating, was the 5th of July Breakfast. He’d sounded so animated, and even over the phone Connor had practically been able to see how Kevin was gesturing and expressing his very being on his face. When Kevin spoke Connor could literally  _ hear _ his smile. 

Breakfast, Kevin had said, was just for the immediate family. There would normally be so many people staying over that they had to do breakfasts in shifts - it wasn’t that our kitchen was  _ small _ , he'd explained, just, trying to fit everyone around the table and the arguments that would happen over who got to shower first... it just wasn’t worth dealing with any of that, first thing in the morning. So the immediate family woke up early, sometimes before dawn depending on how crowded it was - and with Kevin not being a morning person, Connor couldn’t help but wonder at the time how he’d coped - and all ate together. Then, a buffet would be set up for the other guests while the Price parents and siblings could finally relax a little.

It had sounded very sweet when Kevin explained it back then, but Connor had thought about it on the way back from the fireworks, lovestruck and happy, and wondered how it would feel to wake up to an empty bed. An empty airbed.

Kevin would just be downstairs, he reminded himself, and Connor would see him once the breakfast buffet was announced, and Kevin  _ loved him, _ but it would still be strange. At least he had some time to get used to the idea.

He had expected Kevin to slip away first thing in the morning and then return to fetch him after the family breakfast, perhaps waking him with a kiss if he was really lucky, but instead Connor had been poked awake and told that of course he was invited, and he’d padded out of the room with Kevin, leaving snoring cousins in the bunk beds.

And now he was holding Kevin’s hand and following him through the halls and down the stairs, trying not to make the floorboards creak and trying not to be distracted by Kevin’s bedhead. It was adorable, though Kevin probably wouldn't want to hear him say that, not with the amount of time he usually devoted to making his hair look perfect. And anyway, they were supposed to be quiet.

He had no idea what time it was, it just felt far earlier than it should be. Connor used to have to wake up first in Uganda, to make sure that the mission hut was ready for the day, but now it felt strange to be awake and tiptoeing through the silent house after there had been so much noise and activity the day before. They were trying not to wake up the others but there were people everywhere, even more than Connor had expected based on Kevin's descriptions. Members of the extended Price family, along with friends who had stayed over, had spent the night on pull-out beds and sofas and in spare rooms all over the house. Connor had been slightly worried that he’d fall over a random cousin while on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

They were halfway down one of the corridors when Connor heard snoring. Kevin pointed out Michael’s room, currently playing host to the Cunninghams - and only the Cunninghams, the benefits of being a nice married Mormon couple - and said, "I would recognize that noise anywhere. We shared a room for two years - it became sort of comforting after a while."

Another snore rattled the door as they passed. Connor couldn't imagine sleeping in the same room as Arnold Cunningham, as pleased as he was to be able to call him a friend, but Kevin merely smiled. Things could have all worked out so differently in Uganda, he realized. And of all the outcomes that they could have had, they certainly had the best one. He couldn't help but squeeze Kevin’s hand a little tighter.

They almost made it down the stairs without incident when the fourth step from the bottom creaked loudly under Connor's foot. The sound was startling in the silence of the house, and Connor froze just as Arnold gave a particularly loud snore, almost as if in answer. The sounds were too similar, and reminded Connor too much of Kalimba's goats back in Uganda, and he clapped his hand over his mouth to try and stifle his laugh.

"Shh, you'll wake someone." But Kevin's whispered protest was halfhearted at best, especially when Connor shifted his weight and the step creaked loudly once more, perfectly in tune with another of Arnold's snores. That set Connor off again, and Kevin too, and they had to stop and lean against the bannister to laugh, shushing each other ineffectively all the while.

It was no use, once they started laughing they couldn't stop. Finally, Kevin tugged at Connor's hand and they continued down the stairs, where even the tiniest of creaks made them laugh even more. When they passed by the living room Connor could see that they'd woken at least one of the teenaged Price cousins – Carleigh, he thought, the one who looked a lot like Sarah only with brown hair instead of blonde – who sat up in the middle of a long row of sleeping bags and glared at them, bleary-eyed.

"Sorry," Connor whispered, doing his best to look like the responsible adult he ought to be and miserably failing. Beside him Kevin was no better, and he buried his face in Connor's shoulder to hide his laughter. Carleigh didn't look impressed, but she gave him a thumbs up before burrowing back in her sleeping bag once more.

He and Kevin were still trying to stifle their laughter when they finally made it into the kitchen. They were still holding hands too, and Connor could see the moment that Kevin's family noticed, and he knew now that it was acceptance, and not a desire to ignore, when no one remarked on it.

The Price parents and siblings (and Francine, who must have shared Sarah's room, because she certainly hadn't been in Kevin and Jack's) were gathered around the table already. There was food on the table too, scrambled eggs and French toast and fruit and mini muffins, but no one had started eating yet, so at least they weren't late this time.

It was as if Matthew had read his mind. "Good to see you on time today, boys," he said in his gruff way, but he caught Connor's eye and smiled as he nodded towards the two seats that had been left for them, right at the middle of the table, surrounded by the whole family.

"Nice shirt," Lucas said, eyeing grumpy cat as Connor slid into his chair.

"Looks like Kevin in the morning," Ethan chimed in, and there were a few giggles around the table.

"That's actually why I bought it," Connor admitted. The laughter was louder this time, and even Kevin joined in. Connor had a feeling that he might have contributed to a new Price family joke and he couldn't find it in his heart to mind, even if it was at his boyfriend's expense.

"You mean, that's how Kevin  _ usually _ looks in the morning," Suzanne said. "He doesn't look like that now, and I think we can all guess why." She gave Connor a knowing look and he ducked his head, suddenly feeling shy, though he couldn't help glancing over at Kevin a moment later. It was true, there was no trace of any of the usual morning crankiness today on Kevin's face – he was awake and smiling and his joy was infectious enough that when their eyes met Connor couldn't keep from grinning too.

It was happy and quiet around the table once they sat. With the lethargy that accompanied the morning following a good evening, Matthew and Suzanne were dressed casually in jeans and soft-looking shirts but most of Kevin’s siblings - like Kevin and Connor themselves - were still in their pajamas, and Sarah hadn't done her hair. It was as bushy as Kevin had described it as previously; Connor had only ever seen her hair straightened before and according to Kevin she never normally left the house without styling it. Connor wondered if all of the Price siblings cared as much about their hair as Kevin and Sarah did.

Ethan led the family in grace. And it could have been awkward, it could have been the breaking of what had turned out to be a wonderful weekend, but Connor was still smiling and he merely ducked his head, hands folded in his lap as he listened, and before long the breakfast moved on.

The first thing Kevin did was squeeze his shoulder as he stood to make his first coffee of the day, unearthing a little tin hidden in the cupboard. That was so indicative, Connor thought, that Kevin’s family would make accommodations for Kevin in the heart of their kitchen, without drawing attention or malice.

Conversation was muted but not uncomfortable, with Jack and Francine ruminating on having caught up with Janaye at the fireworks last night; she'd been in their class at school and had been wondering if she’d really seen Kevin in the crowd too. Apparently she’d married Benson last year and they were very happy together, expecting their first child in several months. The names merged into each other for Connor, but it wasn’t isolating like it could have been. No, instead it felt familiar. After all, Connor had been introduced to so much of Kevin’s life this weekend, his family, his friends, his home, the essence of who he was. And he hadn't just been introduced, he'd been made a part of everything. It wasn't what Connor had expected before this weekend, it wasn't even something he'd dared to hope, and yet, it had happened.

It was his turn to share something, with Kevin but also with his family.

"My siblings aren't... they don't…" Connor started, overwhelmed by the open and honest affection looking back at him. He felt the need to say something, he had been accepted so willingly by all of them, right from the start. Not only by Kevin, who was smiling from behind his morning coffee, but by everyone gathered around the table. It had been like this in Uganda, that feeling of familiarity around the table before prayers. It gave him the courage to try explaining again.

"Well, Fred and Louise have always been  _ fine _ but, well, they never quite understood me... or wanted to. And the others… they never really supported me. They still don't, now." He shrugged a shoulder as if it didn't matter, but it did, they all knew it.

"Connor," Jack said quietly and firmly, "we’re your family now."

And Jack had said something like that the day before, to Kevin's great aunt, but Connor had been too shaken up at the time to focus on it. But now he could see how the others all nodded in agreement, and he could appreciate the encouraging smiles they offered him. It was the sort of support Connor had always looked for in his siblings, and he'd always been left disappointed. It was different, with the Prices; it had been different from the start. He'd already felt welcomed by them, but now he felt as if he truly belonged. Like he really was a part of this family, just as Jack said.

Beside him Kevin put down his mug, and Connor almost expected him to reach for his hand under the table. But instead Kevin caught his eye and smiled, and it was easy for Connor to slip his hand into Kevin's where it rested by his mug, palm open and waiting.


End file.
